Soul and Sword
by sakurademonalchemist
Summary: A chance comment by Kiritsugu leads to Shiro trying his luck with the renowned psychic Genkai. Too bad no one told him that she was hosting a tournament the day he went to visit! Now he has to deal with having psychic ability on top of being a Magus, and the adventures that come with befriending known punk Urameshi! Can Shiro unlock the truth of his heritage before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

Shiro had no idea why he was in this mess. All he had come to this remote area for was for some advice and hopefully some help using his circuits. Just because he had learned to ignore the pain going down his spine didn't mean he had to _like_ it. The only reason he was even here was because of an offhand comment Kiritsugu had made years ago before his death about certain psychics actually being Magi who had unusually active circuits!

But no, he ended up roped into some tournament to see who got to be Genkai's apprentice, despite the fact he just wanted to ask her for help. He was a Magus, not a psychic.

Shiro picked up the lot like everyone else, and to his surprise it was a bright cherry red. He then noticed two teens about the same age as him.

Shiro was a good judge of character, and despite the rough exterior he could tell that these two were like some of the Fujimura family's bodyguards. Rough on the outside and big softies on the inside. Which was kinda ironic considering the Fujimura family was in fact a Yakuza clan.

"And here I thought I was the only teen around," he said wryly to the two.

The slicked back teen whipped around to face him with surprise.

"Heh, and here I thought Kuwabara and I were the only ones our age too. Urameshi Yusuke," he said holding out his hand.

"Emiya Shiro," he said shaking it firmly.

"You're not from Tokyo are you?" asked Yusuke. The fact he didn't even react to his name said as much, but he wouldn't mind having it confirmed.

"Next town over. I live in Fuyuki. You wouldn't happen to be related to Atsuko Urameshi would you?" he asked, the name sparking an odd comment Taiga had made a few months back.

"You know my mom?"

"My neighbor/legal guardian does. She made an offhand comment about the difficulty one of her family's acquaintances had getting her son back into school after a rather odd situation had him leaving it for a few months," said Shiro.

"You know yakuza? I always suspected she had ties to them, but it's nice to have it confirmed," said Yusuke.

"My guardian Fujimura Taiga is the granddaughter of the family head," said Shiro.

"Where are my manners. Kazuma Kuwabara," said the orange-head next to Yusuke.

"So what brought you here Emiya-san?" asked Yusuke. He liked Shiro already.

"Shiro is fine," said the red head, "And I came here because of something my dad said a while back before he died about psychics. I had no idea that I would end up in the middle of this."

Yusuke chuckled.

The next test had Shiro cringing. He wasn't that great a singer. Strangely, despite the fact he used prana and not spirit energy he barely managed to scrape past the second test Genkai had set up...though she had an odd look on her face from the punching game.

Shiro managed to keep up with Genkai through the forest, though it was a close thing. He could tell one way from another in the forest, and following her seemed like a better idea.

Genkai raised an eyebrow at the panting teen.

"You're not a psychic," she accused him.

"No, I'm not. I got dragged into this tournament completely by mistake," he admitted.

"I thought as much. Why is a Magus here?" she asked.

"I came to ask for help. My dad wasn't exactly a good teacher, and despite the fact I've been making due with what I know I was hoping that you might be one of the psychics he made an offhand comment about with active circuits," he said.

"You came all this way here for help on your magus training? Do you have any idea how stupid that is? That forest is filled with lower class demons!" said Genkai incredulous.

"I'm tired of forging a new circuit every time I use magecraft. I want to learn the art properly, even if I never get anywhere with it," said Shiro tiredly.

"Forging a new... what the hell did this father of yours teach you?! Do you have any idea what a stupid idea that is?" said Genkai horrified.

"Why do you think I decided to try my luck with a woman two hours away from where I live?" he countered.

Genkai pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You do realize that by the Association's standards I rank as a Hermit right? Even if they have no idea that I'm aware of them or know how to use magic?" she said.

"It's better than going alone and getting myself killed by a mistake someone who knows what they are doing could prevent," said Shiro.

"You're not even interested in my technique are you?" asked Genkai.

"Not in the least. I'm a bad Magus, not a psychic and it would be unfair those who actually came here to learn it if I actually did get the apprenticeship," confirmed Shiro.

"Hmph. Depending on who gets the spot, I might just let you stick around anyway. Anyone stupid enough to actually forge a new circuit from their nerves has enough pain tolerance that I can work with," said Genkai.

Shiro looked relieved.

"Of course that means you can't exactly sit in on the rest of the tests," she said.

"I noticed some of your game machines were off to the side. Are they by any chance broken?" asked Shiro.

"Four of them are, the other two were burnt out a few years ago and I've never gotten them replaced. Why?"

"I'm a fair hand at repairing machines. It's one of the few things I can do with my magecraft, and I can probably fix them for you for free. Might have to substitute some of the wires from one of the machines, but they'll work again."

Genkai smirked.

"There's a tool box in the third room from the gaming arcade. I figured it would be easier to have them on hand when I finally decided to get them repaired," she told him.

Shiro was more than a little happy that Yusuke and Kuwabara survived the forest unscathed...more or less.

* * *

"So what exactly is the old hag having you do while she rescues the idiots who got lost?" asked Yusuke.

"She said that since I'm not actually here for her techniques but something else entirely different that I don't have to stick around for the third test. I noticed some of the machines were broken so I offered to fix them for her for free to pass the time. It would be rude to wander around her house without permission," said Shiro.

"You know how to repair stuff?"

"I repair the yakuza's motorcycles all the time for a small fee. They love me because I don't ask questions and my costs are usually much cheaper than asking a professional," said Shiro shrugging.

"You're a weird man Shiro," said Yusuke with good humor.

"I get told that a lot, usually after people hear my life goals," admitted Shiro.

Shiro spent the next three hours analyzing, taking apart and replacing parts. He heard various noises associated with fighting from the general area Yusuke and Kuwabara had gone in, and four hours later he was finishing up his self-appointed task.

Genkai walked in with an exhausted Yusuke. He looked very irritated, as apparently he had been sent here by someone else and they had neglected to tell him _everything._

"Good news. As long as you can handle sleeping next to this dimwit, we can start training tomorrow," she told Shiro.

"Which gives me enough time to speak to my legal guardian and have her forward all the school work to a P.O. Box in town," said Shiro.

Genkai was impressed by his work ethic.

"I'll write a letter to the school so you don't have to worry about not graduating. You'll have to keep up with me in between training this dumbass though, and do your work on your own time."

"...Would offering to cook all the meals help?" he asked.

"It would," she said.

* * *

Shiro had wisely kept the phone well away from his ear when he called to inform his legal guardian of the news. Fujimura Taiga could be _loud_ when she was upset, particularly if she wasn't allowed to mooch off of her favorite cook for several months. Still, once her whining had finally _stopped_ and he explained that he wasn't entirely giving up on his normal schooling, she agreed to send over the homework and his books along with some clothes to the address. She had to look up Genkai and when she found out how rare it was to get an apprenticeship from the woman, she had agreed it was too good of an opportunity to miss.

Shiro even called Yusuke's good friend Keiko so she could forward some change of clothes for him, since he hadn't known that had he succeeded in winning the tournament that he would be stuck in the middle of nowhere for six months whether he liked it or not.

He did manage to convince Genkai to let the teen go to the event that he had rightfully earned tickets to, if only to spare their ears from his likely bitchfest...and Shiro had a headache when Yusuke learned _exactly_ how hard Genkai was on her students. He had to actually _work_ at learning her techniques in return, but considering the migraine Yusuke gave the two of them until that point Shiro was just glad he finally shut up.

* * *

Genkai and Shiro were sitting on a cliff that Yusuke was trying to scale with a boulder on his back as fast as possible playing poker. Shiro was surprisingly a good poker player.

"So...am I correct in assuming you're Kiritsugu Emiya's son?"

"Adopted, but he was my dad in every way that mattered," said Shiro.

"You do realize he was known as the Magus Killer for a reason right?" asked Genkai.

"He saved my life and he gave me a life goal. I don't care about what his life was like before then, though that doesn't mean I still don't think of him as my dad," said Shiro flatly.

"What life goal?" asked Genkai.

"My dad's dream...was to have a world where you didn't need to sacrifice one to save the many. He passed it on to me before he died," explained Shiro.

"Ten for a hundred, a hundred for a thousand. Kiritsugu's credo was to use the most efficient path to save as many lives as he could. A noble, if foolhardy goal."

"You're not going to tell me that my dream is an idiotic one are you?" asked Shiro.

"I don't give a damn about whether or not you have an impossible dream like that. But since you _are_ one of my only students I will be pounding some damn common sense into that thick head of yours."

"What?" said Shiro in surprise.

"I'm a psychic, not a saint. If you want to waste your life on an impossible dream, that's your business. However I would like to die knowing that I at least kept you from making an idiot mistake like trying to save lost lives by contacting the spirit of the world and becoming a Counter Guardian. Doing that would break you faster than anything, since Counter Guardians are little more than clean-up spirits meant to equalize progress, usually through the most bloody way possible," said Genkai.

Shiro blinked. That was the first he had heard of such things.

"What would you recommend sensei?"

"Well you're already on the right track by learning how to use your circuits properly. And hanging around the temple has awakened your spirit sense enough that you can at least see demons. So my next goal for you is to see how fast you can pick up how to heal others. Defending people is well and good, but swords can't bring back those who could have otherwise lived like learning how to heal can," critiqued Genkai.

"So you're saying I should become a doctor?" said Shiro.

"A magical or psychic one possibly. Becoming a real doctor would cut into your training with the sword," said Genkai. Shiro could accept that.

"What's this about training with a sword?" said Yusuke, panting for breath.

"I specialize in two-sword style, and the only one in my home town who can spar with me is Fuji-nee," said Shiro.

Yusuke sat down tiredly.

"You got anything against demons? Particularly the cranky and rather blunt kind?" he asked.

"Not particularly. This is actually the first time I've even _seen_ any," said Shiro.

"I may know a fire demon who could spar with you. He's really good with the sword, but he's on probation last I heard," said Yusuke.

Genkai looked intrigued. Sparring with a demon could improve Shiro's small amount of spirit energy and give him sword training.

"I'll call that reaper girl later to see if we can't get a hold of this demon you know," said Genkai after a moment.

* * *

Yusuke and Shiro were in the bathroom...which Genkai had a massive one that looked more like a small hot spring than a tub...while she called Botan.

"So how come you're still doing regular homework along with what that old bag has you doing?" asked Yusuke washing off the sweat.

"I prefer my hearing, and Fuji-nee is already upset that she can't mooch off me for six months," said Shiro dryly.

"I'm just glad I don't have to do it. Not like those jerks at my school would grade me fairly," said Yusuke sourly.

"That bad?" asked Shiro, dumping water on himself.

"One of my teachers tried to have Kuwabara expelled by erasing a test answer because of a bet they had made. Luckily one of the fairer teachers overheard the asshole who teaches English and busted him. Hell, if I could get away with it I would ditch school entirely," said Yusuke scowling.

"You live about a few hours away from Fuyuki right?" asked Shiro thinking.

"I live about an hour away, an hour and a half by train. Why?" asked Yusuke.

"Well there's nothing to actually _keep_ you in Tokyo for schooling right? And Fuji-nee recently got her teaching degree and she's already applied as a teacher at the high school I'll be attending. If you could handle a longer commute to school, would there be anything to keep you from joining me at my high school?"

Yusuke looked interested. He wasn't a particularly big fan of Sarayashiki junior high. The only reason he stayed was because of a lack of options and the fact Keiko went there.

However the reasons why he hated the school were outweighing the reasons he should continue attending.

"And if we went to the same school I could always help you with homework," said Shiro continuing.

"Yeah, but I bet I wouldn't be able to pass whatever entrance exam they have," said Yusuke.

"I could have Fuji-nee send it over with the next lot of homework, and I could help you with the test itself. There's no reason you have to do it right away when you could actually study the questions first before you try applying," said Shiro.

"Good point," said Yusuke. Transferring to a new area did sound appealing, even if the time it took to reach the school was a bit long. And he would already know someone from the area.

It didn't hurt that the Fujimura were major contributors to the school, or that one of the teachers at the high school was part of the Yakuza family his mother had connections to and wouldn't be nearly as biased towards him.

"Are you two done with the bath?! I'm starving out here!" shouted Genkai from outside.

Shiro finished up quickly and got dressed before he made dinner. Part of his 'tuition' for learning under Genkai was to make almost all the meals. Yusuke found training much more motivating when he had a decent home-cooked meal to look forward to after.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Before you read further, yes, Shiro is a little OOC. I tried to capture his natural desire to be a hero without completely changing his personality. If you don't like that, don't read.**_

* * *

Fujimura was more than happy to talk to Atsuko about having Yusuke transfer to the junior high in Fuyuki. Apparently the idea of helping out someone most people considered a 'worthless' teen who was nothing but trouble appealed to her inner teacher.

Atsuko agreed to it, since getting a fresh start might be more beneficial, even if the transfer wouldn't take place until_ after_ he left Genkai's house.

Keiko wasn't happy, but when she got a list of reasons why Yusuke decided transferring to an entirely new school was worth it, she reluctantly agreed. It wasn't like he was moving after all.

In addition to possibly changing schools, Botan had found and spoken to Hiei about possibly extending the area of his 'house arrest' and being given free room and board while he searched for his sister.

Hiei showed up at Genkai's temple to speak to Shiro directly before he considered the open offer. After a spar with the teen using wooden swords since Genkai was not healing cuts because they were being idiots, and he agreed to staying with Shiro.

Mostly because he had been mildly impressed with the boy's sword skill, even if his style was borderline suicidal.

* * *

When Shiro returned back to his home at long last, after six grueling months training with Genkai, he was very ready to sleep in his house again.

But first he had to deal with one minor problem.

The attack of the starving Tiger known as Fuji-nee. Hiei damn near skewered her when she barged in demanding food. Her roar surprised him that much.

"SHIIIRROOO!" whined Taiga, hugging him to her chest tightly.

"I'm home Fuji-nee," said Shiro.

"It's about time! Who's your friend?" asked Taiga eagerly. When she heard he was heading home, she had personally restocked the fridge and pantry in hopes that he would cook her something good.

"This is Hiei Jaganshi. He's been searching for his younger twin sister for several years now, and when I heard his story I offered to let him stay here until he finds her. He's been sleeping in trees and on benches up till now," said Shiro. It was the truth, but not the full story.

"You and your 'hero' thing," said Taiga with fond amusement.

"You'll be happy to know that my sensei beat out some of that from me," he said dryly.

"Story later, food NOW!" said Taiga.

Shiro chuckled tiredly as he made dinner.

Hiei spurned Taiga on to new heights of stealing food before everyone else, as he had come to enjoy Shiro's cooking like anyone else. There was also the fact that Shiro had accidentally discovered the fire demon's weakness...he had an absolute sweet tooth, especially for ice cream as the boy had once come across the demon stealing some from Genkai's large freezer.

After that Shiro found the recipe for simple ice cream and the demon had been hooked. If he hadn't convinced him to use one of his spare rooms through their spar, then his home-made ice cream would have done the trick as well.

Once the food was devoured (and Shiro had the common sense to put aside his meal before he put anything on the table) Taiga decided to hear the full story about what he had done at Genkai's place.

Shiro gave her the bare bones, mostly it was martial arts training along with sparring with Hiei. While Yusuke recovered from his 'training' (Genkai was a total sadist and admitted as much) she taught Shiro what she could about magic.

Imagine his surprise when he found out that he was a rare kind of person... an Incarnation of a sword. It was the main reason he had so much trouble learning anything but reinforcement, structural analysis and projection.

Genkai said that as far as magic went, he would be considered a prodigy 'faker' by magus standards, but outside of that he would have better luck learning spirit techniques than trying to deviate from his origin and element.

(Strangely enough, Genkai's origin and element tied into her psychic ability to the point that it made creating her spirit orb a lot easier... Her origin was Soul and her element was Ether. She was as close to an Incarnation as she could get without getting a sealing designation.)

Taiga did have some good news...Yusuke had been accepted into the junior high, mostly because of the one teacher who didn't hate him on sight and the fact that the Fujimura family had greased a few palms.

Well, that and the fact that Shiro had managed to make learning interesting for Yusuke enough that he had gotten a passable score on the mock test Taiga had sent him.

Yusuke would begin his new school in a week, once the paperwork was filed and done with. He would also be in Shiro's class, since one of the conditions the school had set considering his history was that he be paired with Shiro, who had a reputation for keeping people like Fujimura Taiga in line. In other words, it was all on Shiro to keep Yusuke's juvenile delinquent tendencies from affecting his schooling.

* * *

A few days after his return from Genkai's temple, Yusuke found himself on a new case.

Only this time Botan tried to nab him from his new school and Shiro happened to be there to stop it.

"Hold up. Is there any chance that this plan will end the world before school is over with?" asked Shiro.

"No, but the number of bugs will increase if we don't leave right now," said Botan.

"About how long would it take us to reach the portal? And how many bugs are we talking about here?" asked Shiro.

Botan looked exasperated as she explained things to him.

Shiro however, was not convinced the the world would end if they didn't at least finish the last class of the day. He could probably get out of Taiga's rant if they hurried, but the headache of answering why they had ditched class was not one he wanted to deal with. Not after all the trouble they went through to get Yusuke _into_ his school.

However Yusuke had a better idea.

"Can you get mom to fake a heart attack and get us out that way? Since Shiro is supposed to be my 'minder' (Yusuke had finger quotes when he said that) it would excuse him as well and we wouldn't get into any trouble later with the teachers," he suggested.

"You do realize this would mean bringing your mother into the fact you work for the spirit world, right?" said Botan.

"Better now than having her dragged in at the worst time," said Shiro.

Botan looked frustrated, however there was an available demon who could help explain things to Atsuko.

She needed to grab Hiei anyway.

* * *

A few hours later Yusuke and Shiro were called into the principal's office and told that Atsuko had fallen ill suddenly. They were excused from classes and it gave Shiro time to grab a few things before they booked to Tokyo.

It took them another hour to reach the portal to the demon world, and from there they jumped into the thing.

Ten minutes later they were in a bit of a jam because of the minor demons who had picked up their scent.

Fortunately Hiei was rather overprotective of the one who could make homemade ice cream better than store bought brands.

"So Yusuke, who's your new friend?" asked Kurama.

"Emiya Shiro. Judging by that red hair I take it you're Kurama?" asked Shiro carefully.

"You've talked about me?" said Kurama in surprise as they walked.

"More like Hiei mentioned you," said Shiro.

"I was somewhat expecting Yusuke's other friend, the orange haired one, to be here," said Kurama.

"Shiro was the one who helped me get into another school, since the one I was in sucked. I had to come up with a reasonable explanation for why we were ditching class, which is why it took us so long to get here," explained Yusuke.

"Atsuko was more than happy to fake an illness once Botan and Hiei explained what was going on with her son. Apparently she had noticed he had been going out more than usual," said Shiro dryly.

"Which school do you now attend?"

Shiro told him.

"Isn't that over an hour's ride away?" said Kurama in surprise.

"Yeah...commuting to it is a bitch and a half, but at least in Fuyuki they don't automatically assume I'm there to cause trouble," said Yusuke.

"It helps that Fuji-nee is a new teacher and that we're both willing to help him muddle through school work. And that the school has ties to the same yakuza that Fuji-nee is the granddaughter of. Yusuke wouldn't have had a chance to transfer if his mom wasn't drinking buddies with several of the Fujimura family's higher-ups, or that he's friends with me," said Shiro.

"I've been wondering...are you by any chance a Magus Shiro-kun?" asked Kurama. His spirit energy was barely acceptable, but there had to be a reason why Hiei wasn't complaining about him.

"A third-rate one, though thanks to Genkai-sensei I might make second-rate so long as I continue visiting her on breaks," admitted Shiro.

"What's your specialty?" asked Kurama. They were nearing the gate.

"Shiro here is a sword," said Hiei bluntly.

"A sword?" blinked Kurama.

"Genkai-sensei helped me find out what my origin and element were. According to her I'm what's known as an incarnation, specifically a sword. Unfortunately that means that if I'm found out the best I could hope for is that I obtain 'Hermit' status. Incarnations are given sealing designations automatically because they're considered so dangerous."

Kurama hmmed.

"If you were to raise your spirit level more, you could pass yourself off as a psychic with an odd inclination towards magecraft," suggested the fox.

"That was the reasoning Genkai-sensei had for training me in spirit powers. So far I've managed to at least get to D ranking in power, but it would take some serious work for me to get any higher than a C since I'm not inclined towards reiki," said Shiro.

"That or the suicidal tendencies I notice when we sparred at Genkai's temple will raise it for you," said Hiei sarcastically.

They had to cut their discussion short as they reached the other end of the gate. It took several agonizing moment of Shiro reinforcing his body through prana for Hiei to free them from the 'Gate of Betrayal' and he was thanking every god he could think of that it was one of the magics Genkai had all but pounded into his head during his six months with her.

He had to brush up early on human biology for it to work to the full extent she wanted, but it was worth it to be able to survive her bone-crushing blows with only bruises.

It was also one of the few things that he could do considering his status.

"So who or what are the four Saint Beasts? I mean outside of the legends?" asked Shiro.

"The Four Saint Beasts are actually demons. I have no idea whether they are the basis of the four gods or simply took their names, but I do know that they were particularly annoying before they were sealed," admitted Kurama.

"You mean like you and Hiei were named after the mountains in the human world?" asked Shiro.

Kurama blinked.

"What?"

"You didn't see the odd connection? Mt. Hiei and Mt. Kurama?" said Shiro. He had noticed that oddity after Hiei mentioned a friend of his who lived in the same city Yusuke did and wondered if there was a connection.

Kurama chuckled.

"You know I've never actually _thought_ about that until now? But my name isn't from that mountain. I am after all _Yoko_ Kurama, a noted thief. It would be rather odd for a thief to be named after such a spiritually significant place," said Kurama.

"Yoko...so you're really a kitsune then?" asked Shiro.

"A famous kitsune thief of the Makai," confirmed Kurama.

"Explains the plant smell you give off," said Shiro.

"Pardon?"

"Magi tend to be sensitive to active magecraft, or in my case prana and spiritual ability, usually through one of the five senses. In Genkai-sensei's case she can see magic through her eyes if she uses prana to reinforce them. My father Kiritsugu once commented that I must be part bloodhound because I could smell magic," said Shiro.

Kurama looked rather intrigued.

"What does Hiei smell of then?"

"Fire, ice and steel," said Shiro without hesitation.

"I can get the fire and the steel, but why ice?" asked Yusuke.

Hiei looked a bit disgruntled.

"None of your damn business," he said gruffly.

Shiro sniffed.

"Weird...I'm getting the smell of dirt and stone up ahead," he said.

"Must be Genbu," said Kurama.

Shiro quickly put what little he knew of healing with spirit energy to use after Kurama was hit by Genbu's tail. It wasn't much, but it did help enough that Kurama could move easier.

"So...who gets the next one?" asked Yusuke.

"Depends on his ability. I take it all of our opponents are guys right?" asked Shiro.

"Yes. Why, have a problem with hitting a girl?" asked Hiei snidely.

"This coming from someone who is equally freaked out over Fuji-nee's cursed shinai?" countered Shiro.

"Tch."

"Wait, what's this about Hiei being scared of a shinai?" asked Kurama with a light teasing tone.

"My guardian Taiga, has this cursed shinai that practically radiates bloodlust. The only way I can get her to drop the damn thing is to threaten not to cook for her anymore," explained Shiro.

"It has youki that a mere human, and believe me I had the spirit world double check, can use," shuddered Hiei.

"Taiga is one scary as hell chick, but for a teacher she's pretty awesome!" said Yusuke.

"Taiga?" said Kurama.

"Fujimura Taiga, granddaughter of the Fujimura yakuza and new teacher at the high school. Remember that series _Gokusen_? Well she's similar to the main character only she doesn't have nearly as much interest in keeping up the family name," explained Shiro.

"Yeah, she talked to me about my 'history' in Tokyo and said that as long as I kept my habits out of Fuyuki and kept up my grades, she couldn't care less what I had done in the past. She even said that if I persisted in being such a 'bad role model' for Shiro (here he snickered as Shiro scowled) then she would see about recommending me to her grandfather once I graduated high school," said Yusuke.

Yusuke was a good kid, but there were very few career opportunities for someone with such a colorful past, unless he was able to grow out of it first. As such Taiga and Shiro would feel more at ease if he at least had an available option for after graduation.

Being part of the yakuza wasn't a good thing, but it was better than being arrested for his bad habits when he was too old to be sent to juvie. At least as a yakuza his habits would have an acceptable outlet.


	3. Chapter 3

As it turned out, Shiro decided to try his luck, if only to give them an idea of what they were dealing with.

He barely managed to defeat the odd beasts Byakko summoned through his power, though he had to laugh at the Saint Beast when he thought sucking up all of Shiro's meager spiritual power would actually _hinder_ him.

However that didn't stop Shiro from projecting a copy of Taiga's shinai, bloodlust and all, into his hands. Hiei, when he saw that sword, shivered. Demon or not, there were some things even _he_ was wary of dealing with. That shinai was among them.

"Why aren't you weakening?" roared Byakko.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I only recently started learning how to use spirit energy! Draining it isn't nearly as debilitating as it would be for my friends!" said Shiro. The shinai parried another attack, but Shiro was starting to wear down.

He would have trouble lasting for another minute at this rate, and Byakko had already drained some of his prana with the reiki he stole.

Suddenly Shiro was sent skidding towards the edge of the connecting walkway. He felt a twinge of nervousness, as the guard was blasted earlier when he got rid of those beasties.

"Shit!"

Shiro's foot was at the very edge of the open guard, and if he fell he wouldn't be walking out alive. He dispelled the shinai, since it wasn't exactly doing much good at the moment.

_'I need something to kill this demon. I refuse to be useless when my friends need me!'_ thought Shiro.

His head began to throb. There was something niggling at the edge of his mind, but what he had no idea. All he knew was that if he didn't do something, fast, then coming with Yusuke would have been for nothing. He wasn't a powerhouse like his friend, or as skilled as Hiei with a blade. He wasn't as cunning as Kurama. All he had was the ability to project swords purely through prana, and a small amount of ability towards healing that he had learned from Genkai. He had already reinforced his body to his limits just trying to keep up with Byakko.

His hands twitched. There was one thing he could think of, but it didn't seem very useful. A last ditch effort at best.

"Trace...On."

In Shiro's hands was a bow. Not a very useful weapon against a demon, but it was something he could project immediately with little prana wasted.

He projected a sword, one with as much holy element as he could, and used alteration to turn it into a makeshift arrow. It wasn't his best work, but considering the circumstances he was willing to take a shot.

Shiro aimed at Byakko. He seemed to find Shiro's attempts to hit him with such a ridiculous weapon amusing enough that he didn't bother to move. He clearly believed Shiro wouldn't be able to hit him regardless.

Then again, Byakko wasn't aware that Shiro was considered a prodigy in the Archery club at school. He never missed unless he _wanted_ to miss.

And with the particular element Shiro had loaded into the sword itself, using the feel of Genkai's home as a basis (it wasn't exactly conductive for youki and only invited demons would even feel comfortable past her wards) there was little chance he would enjoy this particular attack.

Shiro let loose the bow. Byakko smirked...then he let loose a sudden howl of absolute pain as the makeshift arrow hit him in a particularly painful spot.

The holy element did enough damage that the demon had to retreat to another room to recover. Shiro didn't exactly have the right energy that he could absorb and recover.

"What the hell?" said Hiei, voicing their opinion.

"Shiro's like a prodigy in the archery club. I heard Taiga say so and she's the club's adviser," said Yusuke calmly.

"Whatever. What the hell did you just do Shiro?!" said Hiei.

"Like Yusuke said, I'm considered a prodigy. I've never missed unless I want to miss. As for the arrow...I just packed a sword full of the same feeling I get from Genkai's temple."

Hiei stared at him.

"I have to admit, it wasn't a bad shot. And Genkai's house isn't exactly demon friendly unless she lets you in," muttered Hiei.

"I was almost worried there. I wasn't expecting you to force him into a retreat and returning your energy. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be healing your injuries?" asked Kurama.

Shiro was the weakest of the group, but he was definitely the most surprising. Kurama had not been expecting him to bring out a bow of all things and then shoot a modified sword like an arrow, let alone actually _hit_ Byakko. Plus there was the fact he openly admitted he was a Magus, and not a good one at that.

He held no delusions about his ability and was determined to help out when he could. A very intriguing human, to be sure.

So while Shiro distracted Byakko with his arrows long enough for Hiei to kill him (the fire demon was getting antsy), Kurama mused over what he knew of the teen.

Shiro was a survivor, and he had suicidal tendencies if what Hiei said was any indication. He also wasn't afraid to help out, even when he knew he would be outclassed. He was good with a bow, almost supernaturally so, and he had an unusual element and origin. He was willing to not only befriend Yusuke, despite his habits, but to even assist him in having a better future. He also didn't care about letting a known demon into his home.

That alone was rather telling.

_'Shiro Emiya...just what sort of person are you exactly? You're too noble for any human I have ever meet, and you're practically a saint...'_ thought Kurama.

If he had met Shiro before his 'death' he would have been immediately suspicious of his motives for helping him. No one could possibly be that selfless after all. Not unless something was broken inside of them. Not unless they were completely hollow inside.

Hiei dealt with Seiryuu rather quickly, as they had taken too long already and Botan was getting rather overwhelmed despite the help Kuwabara was giving her. He had barely managed to rescue her and Keiko from the possessed teachers at the school.

"You know it's times like these I'm glad we didn't bring Kuwabara. Can you imagine what would have happened if Botan didn't have a known psychic in town?" asked Yusuke.

"Plus there's the fact that he would have annoyed Hiei rather quickly," said Shiro.

Hiei noted the unusual amount of interest Kurama had in Shiro. Even with his odd abilities there wasn't much that should have caught the fox's attention.

"What's got your attention fox?" asked Hiei quietly.

"Shiro Emiya...how much do you know about him Hiei?"

"He's a naïve idiot. His life's goal is to be a hero, of all things. From what I've learned from his guardian, he originally wanted to save everyone without sacrificing the few. Genkai seems to have at least pounded in a different method, but it's slow going," said Hiei.

"What different method?"

"I believe the humans call it the Path of Asura," said Hiei after a moment.

Kurama blinked. That...was rather worrying.

The Path of Asura involved weighing the lives of others against the scales. Not a very pleasant thought, and those who lived by it were rather cold and clinical when it came to taking lives. They wouldn't hesitate to kill someone unrelated to their true target if it meant saving the lives of the majority.

Which prompted something Kurama remembered hearing about a few years ago about Fuyuki.

"Shiro...what do you know about the Fuyuki fire?" he asked carefully.

Shiro froze.

"What?"

"I've heard of Fuyuki before. A few years back there was a long string of mysterious deaths and reports of missing people, particularly children, and then a few weeks later there was a strange explosion that claimed five hundred people in a massive blaze of fire," said Kurama.

Shiro was silent...then...

"I'm a survivor of the Fuyuki fire. My father, Kiritsugu, saved my life in the middle of that blaze, despite all the people who burned alive in the flames. I woke up in the hospital a few weeks later with no memories outside of the scene inside the blaze, and the relieved face of my father. Shortly after he adopted me out of the hospital and he raised me until his death four years later. It's only recently I've been able to make any progress towards what little magecraft he had been able to teach me," he said quietly.

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea," said Kurama.

"His one wish was that one day, the few wouldn't need to be sacrificed to save the many. I've always considered him a hero of justice and I've tried to follow that path."

"You do realize that humans would never be so accepting of such an ideal? They would be suspicious to the point of betrayal if they found someone who just wanted to help without any thought of something in return," said Kurama bluntly.

Shiro looked like Kurama had just punched him out of the blue. Like that idea had never occurred to him.

"What?"

"Humans, by nature, are suspicious creatures. If you were to try and save people without thought of reward, they wouldn't trust you at all," said Kurama flatly, "Even if you don't need anything, or the thought of helping others fills whatever void that fire left, you should never consider the idea of helping people without keeping that in mind. If you really want to be a hero in the real sense of the word Shiro, then you'll need to consider that every hero has some fault that the normal humans can related to. If nothing else you can claim that you are trying to fulfill some promise to your father."

Shiro looked surprised, as if that idea had not occurred to him, and probably never would have occurred to him. His only thought had been helping others.

The idea that people would be suspicious of such a simple goal without a thought of a reward was something he had never considered.

Seeing that point from an outsider's view, even he had to admit it would be considered suspicious for someone to help others without asking for anything. And with suspicious came other negative attachments. Fear, anger, hatred...they all lead to one conclusion in the end.

If Shiro continued to help others without thought of even a false reward and the people he helped spoke to others, he would eventually be betrayed no matter what he did. It was not a pleasant thought.

And after talking to Genkai about what a Counter Spirit was (she had apparently come across a city wiped out by the spirits when she was younger) he had no desire to end up as little more than a mass murderer to be used as an equalizer of human progress.

"That...is not something pleasant to think on," said Shiro finally.

"But it needed to be said before you were irrevocably set on a bad path," said Kurama.

"I suppose I should say thank you," said Shiro. He would think about this conversation long after they left Maze Castle.

It was thanks to Shiro's unusual sense of smell that they found the correct path. He hadn't been joking when he said that he had a strong sense of smell. And the smell of insects from the whistle was the one he was trying to track.

Hiei was more than a bit annoyed with the fact he had to carry Shiro, since he technically lived with him. Kurama pointed out that he had to carry Yusuke, who despite the training he did with Genkai, was still getting used to using it in an all out fight. He and Shiro would likely be entirely useless for the next few days.

Hiei did note with some surprise, that the bruises Shiro had from fighting Byakko were healing at an accelerated rate. Too fast for a mere human...not unless there was something else doing the healing. He had always dismissed Shiro's ability to fight the next day with minimal complaining, but now that he considered it, there was clearly something strange going on.

Perhaps he should call Genkai once they were at the house.

* * *

Genkai was at Shiro's house a week later. He had recovered faster than even Yusuke had, which she had come to expect after discovering he could wake up the next morning after a hard day of training and be ready for more.

"Genkai-sensei!" said Shiro in honest surprise.

"Sensei?" spoke an older woman's voice.

Taiga had once again come to mooch off Shiro.

"So this is where you live. No wonder you adjusted faster than that dimwit," said Genkai.

"HEY!" said Yusuke in indignation.

"And the dimwit is here too."

"Shiro...who is this?"

"Remember that Master I went to study under for six months? This is Genkai-sensei," said Shiro, setting an extra place at the table.

Taiga got an odd gleam in her eyes.

"No fighting at the table Fuji-nee. You can spar with her after dinner," said Shiro with a sigh.

"Where's Hiei?" asked Genkai..

"Finishing up another set of moves in the dojo," said Shiro.

"Hmph."

Hiei came in after a quick shower (Taiga had once complained the one time he didn't take one after practicing in the dojo) and when he saw Genkai there his eyes gleamed a little. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out who called Genkai to Shiro's house.

Once Taiga had her spar (and swore she would be like Master Genkai when she reached that age...that little old lady was a tough cookie!) and had left for something he grandfather had planned for her, Genkai looked at Shiro.

"So what's this about Hiei?" she asked for their benefit.

"His level of regeneration is abnormal, even for a human. I could literally see his bruises from Byakko healing as I carried him back to the house. I want to know why," said Hiei flatly.

Shiro's eyebrows raised up in surprise. He didn't think Hiei had cared.

"A good enough reason to call. Healing that fast isn't unusual in certain cases, but considering what you are Shiro, it does warrant some concern. Let's see your workshop...maybe there are some clues in there," said Genkai.

Shiro shrugged. Unlike other Magi he didn't have any issues with people in his workshop. It wasn't like anyone could duplicate his magecraft.

* * *

Genkai's eyebrows rose when she saw it.

"You do realize that if I were a normal Magus I would kill you for this affront to magecraft?" she said.

Yusuke didn't get it. Neither did Hiei, but it was likely he didn't actually _care_.

Genkai inspected his workshop with a critical eye. She could see why he had trouble with his studies before he came to her. She noticed an odd circle in the back though.

"What's this?" she asked him.

"Hm? I've never noticed that," said Shiro.

"This is a ritual circle...pretty strong one too. Tell me, how long had your father lived here in Fuyuki?"

"I remember him saying that he came here shortly before the fire, but he lived in the castle outside town until the fire, then he moved here," said Shiro thinking about it.

"Who does the castle belong to?"

"No idea. It's been there for as long as anyone can remember," said Shiro.

"Are there any families the Fujimura avoid specifically?" asked Genkai, an idea coming to mind, and not one she liked.

"I think Taiga mentioned two. The Matou and the Tohsaka."

"I was afraid of that. I had almost forgotten about the odd tournament that happens ever sixty years. Last time was around the point when the fire happened."

"What tournament?"

"The Heaven's Feel Tournament, also called the Holy Grail War. When you've lived as long as I have, you pick up a few things. Basically seven Magi fight in an all out war against each other until one remains. They use familiars called Servants, though I've never seen one. Supposedly these...Servants...are spiritually charged copies of heroes from ages gone by. I think after the third time it occurred the Church sent an observer because of what a mess the Magi made," said Genkai.

"How do you know about it if you've never participated?" asked Hiei from the wall.

Genkai looked at him dryly.

"Makiri Zouken. Somehow that spiritual vampire heard of me and attempted to court me. He was rather talkative around the time the fourth war ended, probably thinking that I would be useful later. I kicked his ass back here to Fuyuki when I realized what he was," she said dryly.

"Makiri?" said Shiro.

"They go by Matou now," said Genkai.

She might not be a full Magi in the eyes of the Association, but only an idiot wouldn't keep track of the Who's Who in terms of magecraft.

She looked at the ritual circle with an eye for the details.

"This appears to be a summoning circle I saw for the tournament itself. A basic one. I'd betting that your father set it down as a safety measure in the event you were picked, since you weren't that good until you came to me," said Genkai.


	4. Chapter 4

Genkai's eyebrows were almost permanently grafted to the top of her head when she found out why Shiro had such a strong healing factor.

"Where in Enma's name did you get this?!" she said in shock.

"What is it?" asked Hiei, wondering why she was so surprised.

"Avalon, the legendary sheathe of Excalibur."

Shiro's head nearly whipped around to her.

"As in the Noble Phantasm that belonged solely to King Arthur? That Excalibur?!" said Shiro.

Genkai nodded. She had to sit down after pulling this from Shiro.

"What's so special about this sheathe?" asked Yusuke.

"This is the reason why people thought King Arthur immortal dumbass! When it was stolen by his last child Mordred, it was the end of his reign and lead to his death! Legend has it that Arthur is waiting for the right time to come back and that his body rests in Avalon until then," said Genkai, barking at him.

"What is a Noble Phanstasm?" asked Hiei.

"Noble Phantasms are legendary artifacts, often responsible for people becoming famous. For example when you think of King Arthur, you automatically imagine his sword Excalibur or if you're a Magus his sword and the sheathe that could heal _any_ wound or disease. Another good example is a Muramasa sword, Amaterasu's mirror, Medea's dagger..." Genkai listed.

Hiei's eyes went up at the mention of swords.

"So the living sword boy has a famous sheathe, so what?"

"You don't get it. This in the hands of King Arthur can regenerate any wound. It's said that as long as he had this sheathe Arthur would never age or die."

"So what does that mean for Shiro?" asked Yusuke.

"Nothing really. This sheathe belongs solely to the King. However I suppose if you were to run prana into it, it would accelerate your healing factor. You'd still scar but it would be harder to kill you," said Genkai.

"Perfect for an idiot with a suicidal sword style," snorted Hiei.

"Shiro, under no circumstances are you to _ever_ reveal you know this is in you. If a Magus or the Association knew you had this, they wouldn't hesitate to kill you," said Genkai.

"Like I didn't need another reason to avoid them," said Shiro, running a hand through his hair.

"In any case this just means that we'll be focusing more on healing through Avalon's power next time you come to my temple. I heard about your stunt channeling holy energy through that bow of yours... it would have done much more damage had you tried mimicking Avalon's energy signature rather than that of my house," said Genkai.

* * *

Hiei was in a foul mood a month later. He fully blamed Koenma for making him his messenger. Fortunately Shiro owned a TV and a tape player.

Yusuke, Hiei, and Shiro all watched the video. The second Shiro realize what it was about, he and Yusuke immediately tackled the now royally pissed off fire demon.

Koenma wanted Yusuke to rescue Hiei's sister without telling him that they knew where she was.

Apparently he hadn't expected Yusuke to watch it with Hiei in the room.

"Hiei, calm down!" said Shiro.

"Like hell!"

"Then I apologize in advance for this," said Shiro.

He hit Hiei hard enough for the demon to see stars, then he and Yusuke (the detective was far too enthusiastic) tied him up in reinforced ropes.

Hiei looked really pissed now.

"Hiei, think about this rationally for a moment. We can't exactly storm the place without a decent plan first. And you can't kill the bastard who captured your sister without getting into major hot water with Koenma."

"So what do you have in mind?" snarled the demon.

"We plan, then we act. First off, Yusuke, do you know Kurama's home phone number?"

"No clue. I know where his school is though," said Yusuke.

"I know it," said Hiei.

Shiro and Yusuke stared at him.

"What? Where did you think I stayed after I first teamed up with the damn fox? He gave it to me as a joke!"

"Right. What's the number?"

Hiei told him, and Shiro called up the fox. Kurama assured him that he would head over immediately, if only so Hiei wouldn't charge in blindly.

Two hours later Kurama showed up.

"So what's this about?"

"Koenma found Yukina and wanted Yusuke to rescue her without telling Hiei. We had to tie him up to keep him from charging in," said Shiro bluntly. Kurama tried not to laugh at the still angry fire demon.

"So what's your idea?" asked Kurama, accepting the tea Shiro handed him.

"First off, we need information on this Tarukane. I can probably ask Taiga's grandfather for that, since it's a pretty safe bet the yakuza actually know of him. Second we need to figure out who does what. I know you and Hiei can't kill the humans in there without getting into trouble, and as far as we're aware this Tarukane _is_ human," said Shiro.

"Which is why you thought calling me would be a better idea," said Kurama, seeing his point.

"Plus you're the best strategist I know of," said Shiro. Kurama smirked at him.

"Can I be untied now?" demanded Hiei.

Shiro undid the knots. Hiei just looked really grumpy now.

"So what did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we could call Kuwabara in. You aren't exactly the most subtle of people Yusuke, and I doubt Genkai would help with this. So why don't we send in you and Kuwabara along with Botan into the front gate as a distraction measure to clear the way?" said Shiro.

"That could work. Yusuke needs the experience and his power is primarily blasting things. Kuwabara is a decent fighter from what I've heard, and his technique isn't subtle either," said Kurama.

"And with Botan leading them they won't get lost," said Shiro.

"Hmph."

"Meanwhile I'll go with Hiei and Kurama around the back. I'm more of a long range fighter at the moment, and they're our strongest fighters between the five of us," said Shiro.

"You're also the only one of us with any healing knowledge," said Hiei. It was a smart idea, keeping Shiro with the ones most likely able to keep him alive while sending in the heavy hitters as a distraction.

"While Yusuke and Kuwabara distract the main force, Hiei, Kurama and I will find Yukina and get her out of there and if need be come around to get you out. I'm fairly sure I could bribe Fuji-nee to take Yukina for anything she would need once I explain things so she understands. And since Hiei and Kurama can't kill the humans, I can help maim them," said Shiro.

"I thought you wanted to be a hero?" said Kurama amused.

"A hero protects the innocent. I don't see anything _acceptable_ about a bunch of thugs keeping a nice girl like Yukina locked up just to use her for her tears," said Shiro flatly.

Hiei looked annoyed.

"Hiei, if Tarukane tries anything with your sister, feel free to break every bone in his body. You can't kill him for capturing and possibly hurting her, but I don't remember there being any laws about you making living worse than being dead," said Shiro.

Hiei suddenly perked up. Now he was talking his language.

"So when do we leave?" asked Hiei eagerly.

"I'll need to get the location of Tarukane's mansion from Fuji-nee and explain why Yusuke's missing class again. Hopefully she won't do anything stupid," said Shiro.

Taiga was less than happy to hear why they were skipping school, but at least she was willing to help. She did force Shiro to make a promise to create an all-out feast if they came back alive though. Her grandfather gave them the address and wished them good luck.

Apparently he wasn't a fan of Tarukane, so the idea of Shiro and his mystery house guest ruining the man's day was enough for him. He did give Hiei one of their swords from the back. Hiei looked rather pleased at the craftmanship.

Yusuke called Kuwabara in shortly before they left for the mansion...the only buses that went out that far were in Tokyo. Shiro and the two demons left ahead of them and would wait for the two humans and one reaper to go in first as a distraction.

It took them the better part of a day before they got there and they started immediately. Yusuke was just glad that Kuwabara hadn't seen what Yukina looked like. He was annoying enough after Yusuke had left him behind on the last adventure...he didn't need the idiot talking about 'true love' and all that crap.

* * *

"They aren't exactly being quiet are they?" asked Shiro, hearing yet _another_ explosion.

"No," said Hiei.

Kurama changed the subject. They were more or less following the first group in to avoid detection...and dealing with the small fry.

"So what's this I hear about you having a sheathe inside of you?"

"I'm guessing it's how my dad saved my life. He put Avalon in my body when he saved my life. Anyway it accelerates healing when it's used, but it's not perfect."

"Genkai's been teaching him how to use it's signature energy to fire actual holy arrows. At this rate he might make a decent priest," said Hiei sarcastically.

"Yeah right. No way could I handle that sort of life...I'm too active," said Shiro snorting.

"Well hopefully this adventure will help your reserves. I've noticed that you're a lot closer to C now," said Kurama helpfully.

Shiro perked up.

"At this rate you might even make B, if you put some serious intensive training into it," continued Kurama.

"What rank are you and Hiei at?"

"Mid-C to almost B," said Kurama.

"And Yusuke?"

"High C, though his control isn't worth speaking of. Kuwabara, on the other hand is a very low C at the least."

"What do you mean by intensive training?" asked Shiro.

"I mean pushing you so far that you can't even move for the rest of the night."

"So basically the same as what I went through at Genkai's," said Shiro. Hiei snorted in agreement.

"If you want, we can spar every other day after your school lets out until you can barely make dinner," said Hiei.

"I'm sick of being the weak link in this team. The higher my reserves are, the more useful I can be as the team medic," said Shiro. Let it never be said that he wasn't afraid of hard work. Unlike Urameshi or Kuwabara, Shiro was more than happy to put in extra work if he knew it was going to be useful later.

"In the mean time I can get you started on how to make healing medicines from plants available. Even if you can't heal us directly it would be a good idea to have someone else who can mix a poultice when we need it," said Kurama.

"That's like cooking right?" said Shiro.

"Something like it," agreed Kurama.

Hiei suddenly snorted again.

"He'll be outpacing you then. Shiro's the best cook I've ever seen," said Hiei.

Shiro snorted this time.

"That's because I cheat when I cook. Since the only thing I could do for the longest time was structural analysis and reinforcement, I used cooking as a way to train in that. I use reinforcement to bring out the maximum flavor and nutrition in the food I make," said Shiro.

"I definitely teaching you how to mix plants now," said Kurama with a grin.

"You're free to use my yard as your own personal workshop if you want. It's not like I enjoy gardening as much as cooking, and I just try to keep the plants alive."

"If we survive this I'll take you up on that. I've been wanting to try hybridizing some of the human world plants with some from the Makai, but explaining that to my mother would be difficult enough...not to mention our yard is too close to others," said Kurama. Plus it meant that he would be closer to Hiei and give them an easier time communicating with the others.

The offer to make Shiro's yard his 'workshop' was one he wasn't going to pass up. Kurama was well aware of what Magi were, and some of the terms they used.

By offering him a place to do his research without interruption, it meant that Shiro was giving him an area where he could experiment with plants and his natural powers without worrying about his mother finding out. Since he would have to be discreet anyway with the addition of Shiro's neighbor Taiga and the odd girl from a year below him named Sakura, it meant he could return to being Yoko much quicker.

Plus the odd spiritual density of Fuyuki would make it easier to hide his actual presence. Yusuke had certainly made a useful ally when he befriended Shiro Emiya.

Shiro, Kurama and Hiei slipped into the back door when Yusuke's group blasted the front gate wide open.

* * *

Hiei growled when he saw the talismans, and Kurama quietly explained that even touching one would cause pain for demons. Shiro's eyes grew cold when he heard that.

"Remember Hiei, you can maim but you can't kill. Let's make the idea of living worse than dying for this guy," said Shiro. Though Kurama could tell that it was more for his own benefit than to remind the two demons.

By the time they found Yukina, Shiro was in a really foul mood. That was nothing to how Hiei felt.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded the fat pig responsible for Yukina's imprisonment.

"Friends of her twin brother," said Shiro flatly. In his hands was a copy of the sword Taiga's grandfather gave Hiei.

"Demons can't kill humans!" said Tarukane almost desperately.

"True, but no one said anything about making living worse than dying. Besides, only _these_ two gentlemen beside me are demons. I'm fully human," said Shiro bluntly. Hiei knocked out the bodyguards and Kurama tied them up.

Shiro gently guided Yukina out of the room while Hiei expressed his displeasure to Tarukane. Kurama only stayed behind to insure Hiei didn't kill him by accident.

While they were outside and out of range of Tarukane's screams, Yukina looked at him in concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked. He was rather tensed.

"I'm fine...I'm just furious that someone like him thinks it's acceptable to hurt an innocent girl just to make money. It doesn't matter whether you're a demon or not, you're still an innocent creature," said Shiro, forcing himself to calm down. Fifteen minutes later Kurama came back out.

"Shiro, it looks like Kuwabara and Yusuke could use some healing," said Kurama, handing him a box of medicines. They were all clearly labeled for his benefit.

"Um, I have some talent towards healing," offered Yukina.

"It might be better for her to help me rather than see the product of Hiei's anger," said Shiro.

"Absolutely," agreed Kurama.

After knocking some sense into Kuwabara over Yukina (she was damn near immortal, so it really wasn't a good idea for him to get mixed up with her a girlfriend) and making sure that they would survive the trip home, Shiro offered to give Yukina a room next to her brother if she wanted.

He did have to warn her about Taiga though.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, since people have been flaming me about the whole 'the demons are the wrong kind' and the fact I made Genkai a partial magus, let me explain what actually SPARKED this story.**

**I was rereading the Nasu-verse wiki, specifically the section about Magic Eyes. It was reading the part about how certain people developed an unusually active set of circuits and became psychics that a plot bunny was born. What if Shiro went to Genkai after hearing a comment from his father about these odd people? What if he became a 'psychic' rather than a magus because of the fact he wouldn't have to hide as much?**

**And so a story was born. I was not aware at the time that the Nasu-verse already HAD demons, as the only real source of information I have had is the Fate/Stay Night anime, Unlimited Blade Works movie, and recently the Tsukihime series. So if I get things wrong, that's why. Please, stop flaming about it already.**

* * *

Yukina's red eyes went wide when she finally heard Taiga's "war cry" as Shiro and Hiei called it.

"SHIROOO! You're back!" said Taiga with open relief.

"Fuji-nee, this is Yukina, Hiei's sister. Unfortunately she lost all her possessions when she was kidnapped. I'll make some snacks for you to munch on while I get to work on dinner if you can take her shopping," said Shiro immediately.

Taiga took his bribe immediately. He rarely made her snacks unless he had to.

"Do you have any preferences in terms of clothes?" she asked the koorime.

"Um...I like kimono?" she offered. Taiga when she was being bribed with free food was rather intimidating.

"Sempai! You're back!" said Sakura Matou.

"Sakura! I was about to get dinner started, but I think we need another female to keep Taiga from going overboard. This is Yukina, Hiei's sister."

"Hello," said the shy ice apparition.

"Hello," said Sakura with a bow. She looked at Shiro questioningly.

"Yukina lost all her clothes and the like when she was taken. I asked Fuji-nee to take her shopping so she's distracted until dinner is done," said Shiro in way of explanation.

"I've been needing to get some new outfits as well. I suppose this is as good time as any," said Sakura.

It would give her time to test the waters with this new girl. She wasn't letting anyone claim her sempai without a fight!

* * *

Hiei decided to pitch in with the cooking, so Shiro decided to do something he rarely did...an open barbeque. Yusuke, when he showed up, was sent on a _massive_ grocery run for food and he decided now was as good a time as any to have a team bonding moment, so he called Kurama and Kuwabara in.

Kurama showed up and was immediately given a spare room for the night (his mother was on a date with her boyfriend and he would have spent the night alone otherwise) and Kuwabara got roped into helping Yusuke carry groceries in.

Taiga and Sakura returned after a few hours, giving Shiro all the time he needed to prepare the meat for cooking and let the drinks cool off.

Taiga raised an eyebrow at all the boys in the yard, but after a short explanation she accepted their presence without hesitation. Apparently she was of the opinion that Shiro needed some friends outside school. Despite his friendly manner he didn't have anyone he could call a close friend.

So she took it as a good thing that he had befriended Yusuke, Hiei and the newcomers Shuichi Minamino and Kazuma Kuwabara.

They made a right party of it, though Kurama had trouble not laughing when somehow, Taiga got Hiei drunk as a joke.

Eventually Kuwabara and Sakura headed back to their prospective homes. Yusuke had his own room close to Shiro's after the red head learned of the fact that his mother wasn't exactly the best role model.

She might care for Yusuke enough to cry when he died and become overprotective, but a good mother she was not. Hence why Yusuke often crashed at Shiro's house more often than not when his mother went on a bender.

Taiga was left on a nearby couch, as it was easier than calling her house to ask to take her home, and Shiro was used to her mooching off him anyway.

* * *

Kurama started coming around more often after the party, to his mother's delight. Apparently Shiro wasn't the only loner in the group with a worried guardian. The two red heads hit it off over cooking.

Kurama seemed to think of Shiro as an errant younger brother, one with more heart than sense. Yusuke was the annoying younger brother who got into trouble too often for his own good, and the Koorime twins were the family friends, or maybe cousins.

So it was with some surprise that shortly after Taiga let it slip that Shiro's birthday was two weeks after saving Yukina (and getting on the Fujimura's good side for getting rid of Tarukane and surviving long enough to walk back on their own power) Yusuke somehow managed to come up with a decent party for him turning sixteen.

Shiro got another surprise... a few days after getting his license (which was a day after his sixteenth birthday) Taiga's grandfather got him a motorcycle of his own.

Shiro was tired of riding the bus to Genkai's house, and this would make traveling much easier. Especially since it had a side car for Yusuke to ride in instead of relying on the spirit world's transportation.

Kurama and Hiei had their own methods, namely running.

Still, Hiei did trail Shiro and his sister all the way to Genkai's for Shiro's usual visit to the psychic for training.

As it turned out, Yukina had more of a knack for the art, which meant Genkai would help train her while Shiro did his best to muddle through his limited ability. If he wasn't muddling through the techniques, he was doing the same exercises Genkai put Yusuke through during the six months he had been there. With considerably _less_ complaining.

* * *

Shiro was about to enter his house. It had been three months since they had rescued Yukina, and he had the growing feeling something horrible was about to happen.

He heard someone cough behind him.

"Are you Emiya Shiro?" asked the strange woman.

Shiro tensed. Was this another one of Kiritsugu's many enemies? Genkai had been rather blunt about the true history of the man he called father.

"I am."

"I am here to deliver an invitation. You are one of the people designated for the Guest Team at this year's Black Tournament. Attendance is mandatory," she said.

"Black Tournament?" said Shiro. He had never heard of such a thing.

"I have another invitation for one Hiei Jaganshi and Urameshi Yusuke."

"I'll hand them when I see them," said Shiro. Hiei was off somewhere and Yusuke was off on a rare date with Keiko. Despite changing schools he still had a crush on the girl.

Frankly Shiro couldn't see that working out, as Keiko was more like a sister to Yusuke than a girlfriend. She was simply too much of a pacifist and Yusuke was a glorified fighting nut. She probably wouldn't be able to handle one of their no-hold-barred fights like the one with Toguro in the mansion, though Shiro had missed how he had beaten the guy.

The odd woman handed over the two envelopes, and Shiro went inside his house.

He immediately called Kurama to see if he knew anything, seeing as how Hiei didn't even own a cell phone and Yukina was at Genkai's at the moment. Hiei would bring her with him on his way back.

"_I take it you got one too?" _said Kurama tiredly.

"Me, Yusuke and Hiei. What is the Black Tournament anyway?"

"_It's a no-holds drag out blood tournament that demons frequent. It only happens once a year thankfully, but the chances of the Guest team surviving are next to nill. The 'guest team' picked for the fights are usually those who were unlucky enough to anger the Black Black Club, a group notorious for dealing in the demon trade. We caught their attention when we retrieved Yukina from Tarukane,"_ explained Kurama.

"So why are we going?"

"_The main 'incentive' for the guest team is if we fail to show up, they'll kill anyone even remotely associated with us."_

"So pretty much like the books Genkai gave me about the Heaven's Feel Tournament then. You either survive or you get killed in a rather bloody fashion," said Shiro.

"_Pretty much. Now I'm not sure who else will be on our team, but I suppose I could check to see if Kuwabara was called in as well. If that's the case at least we'll have a full roster,"_ said Kurama.

"Why do I sense much pain in my future?"asked Shiro.

"_Because this thing is in two months and lasts for another month, and we'll most definitely be outclassed and outgunned if we don't train our hides off?"_ replied Kurama sarcastically.

"That would explain it," said Shiro, pinching his nose.

"_We'll regroup at your house, seeing as how you have more room. Then we'll decide who does what for the next few months. Good luck explaining it to Taiga,"_ said Kurama chuckling.

"I'm going to need it," said Shiro, feeling depressed at the thought already. Thank Kami Taiga was from a yakuza clan...he was going to need all the help he could get to convince her!

* * *

Yusuke was not happy. Toguro, the bastard he thought he had helped kill with Kuwabara's spirit sword, had wrecked his date and given him an ultimatum. Hiei was also highly annoyed, as he had been approached by another demon when he went to retrieve his sister from Genkai's home. Kuwabara, the only one with any chance at a normal life of the group, had also been called in, mostly out of spite.

"So..." said Shiro awkwardly.

"We have two months. We may as well may them count. I hope Taiga isn't going to be a problem?" said Hiei.

"I had her grandfather help explain to her the facts. So long as Yusuke and I can keep up with our homework once our training is done, she can help cover for us at school. She's not happy that I got roped in for helping you, but she understands I don't have a choice," said Shiro.

It didn't hurt that her grandfather had some idea of what Tarukane had been capable of, and the fact that the ones running this were his cohorts made the idea of Shiro and everyone he cared about being wiped out a very real thing.

Hence why she was willing to let them leave school for two months to train their butts off with only a minimum of fussing. She didn't have to like it though.

The group made their way to Genkai's, as the training they would need to do was best done in a remote location.

Yusuke finally bit the bullet and admitted he needed to train, for real this time. Yukina would be with Genkai learning how to heal actual injuries, using Yusuke as her test dummy.

Hiei would work with Shiro, seeing as how they both specialized in swords and he had no patience for Kuwabara. Kurama would teach Shiro how to make medicines from plants while Avalon healed the damage done by Hiei and Kuwabara recovered from his pounding.

They spent the next two months in that manner.

And as always, Shiro was the designated cook, though he had help in the form of Yukina and Kurama.

* * *

Several figures waited nearby what were obviously low class demons.

One was a youth of about sixteen with red hair that was somewhat streaked with white. He had tan skin and auburn eyes, and the stance of a swordsman. He had a bow slung on his back along with a quiver of arrows, and he wore a long red overcoat that upon closer inspection looked like armor. He wore sensible shoes built for running on rough terrain, and his eyes were tracking everything around him.

Close by was a shorter figure in a simple fighter's attire that was primarily blue in color. He had spiked black hair and two swords, one of which gave off enough bloodlust to make even a demon wary. His red eyes watched the other, weaker demons with open contempt, though he seemed perfectly at ease around the human youth.

The third was an orange haired boy who was tired, but still had plenty of energy to fight. He wore a traditional punks outfit and a headband holding back his hair. He was clearly a delinquent.

The shortest of the group had a mask over their face, and no discernible features. They did, however, radiate a quiet but very strong power.

The fifth had long red hair that extended past their neck and a rather nice, if somewhat impractical outfit that suited them and smelled distinctly of plants. His green eyes held a calm but wild power.

The final member was leaning heavily against one of the trees, his hair slicked back and wearing casual clothes. He would not be involved in the trip to the island unless needed, seeing as how the ones running this tournament had a bad habit of pitting the guest team against some minor demons in order to start things off.

Shiro sighed. Why did he get involved in this mess?

At least Hiei had some decent swords to use this time, though why there had been actual Noble Phantasms in the river inside his town he had no idea...let alone one that was a real Muramasa blade!

Once the ship arrived, Shiro had the worst feeling that things wouldn't be as simple as he hoped. This was proven when a small stadium appeared out from below the decks and they had to send someone up.

Genkai, or the Masked Fighter as she was pretending to be, was the one who elected to go up.

She could hide all she wanted behind that mask, but she couldn't fool Shiro's nose. When she was busted early on, she requested that he keep it to himself, as she didn't want to be harassed by idiots this early.

Shiro put his arrows to good use, killing demons with contemptuous ease by shooting them dead. Mimicking Avalon's holy signature was much easier than trying to replicate the aura around Genkai's home. It did much more damage than the first time he tried it with Byakko too.

Demons were falling like flies to his seemingly never-ending attacks with his arrows.

Genkai had given him a rather odd training tool while he sparred with Hiei.

Because his primary method of fighting was to use traced swords, she put what she called 'spirit cuffs' around Shiro's limited spiritual energy.

It had made moving difficult, but once he got used to it he all but forgot he had them on at all. The purpose of the things was to keep his reiki at maximum at all times. He had to expend his energy at it's peak just to move. She had also said that if it wasn't for Avalon, he might not have been able to keep it up for more than a week, since he didn't have the natural reserves Yusuke did.

He was still able to keep up with Hiei though, and his tracing had gotten infinitely better...even if his hair was starting to whiten prematurely and his skin had a darker tone.

Kurama had already helpfully found a dye he could put into his hair to hide this fact from Taiga, as he really didn't want to explain it to her. Fortunately it was only spots here and there.

Finally they were the only ones left, though Hiei seemed a bit disappointed.

"I was hoping for more of a challenge," he said.

"While I'm hoping for room service, a hot shower and a nice long nap," countered Shiro.

The two enjoyed banter after a long day of fighting. It was an ongoing battle to see who would win their battle of wits, and occasionally Kurama joined in on their fun.

Kuwabara ended up carrying a dead-to-the-world Yusuke while the others tried to relax. Aside from the unexpected visitor, the rest of the night was uneventful.


	6. Chapter 6

"So who gets to act as the 'spare'?" asked Kurama. They never did settle that.

"Is there anything that says that the spare can't switch?" asked Shiro.

"There is. According to the rules the only time the extra can fight is if one of us is killed," said Hiei.

Shiro grimaced. Not about the idea of killing, but the fact that it meant he couldn't switch around with Kuwabara like he hoped.

"There's always the standby option..." said Kurama.

"No way in hell," deadpanned Shiro.

"What?" said Hiei.

"I am _not_ going up against Kuwabara in Jen Kan Pon! He cheats!" said Shiro vehemently.

"How can you tell?" asked Kurama amused.

"I've noticed he tends to throw out his choice a few fractions of a second after everyone else," said Shiro.

Kuwabara winced. He didn't know Shiro had caught that.

"Well who among us is the weakest?" said Hiei.

"Depends on how much Shiro has grown under his training. Hiei, in your honest opinion who is the better fighter?" asked Kurama.

"Shiro, hands down," he said immediately. He had sparred with Kuwabara, and the teen was a decent fighter...but Shiro was infinitely better.

"Hey!"

"Kuwabara, how good are your reserves?" asked Kurama, though he could tell the teen was barely a high-C power wise, and that was stretching it.

"They're okay I guess. A good night's sleep and I'll be fit for fighting!" he boasted.

Shiro's nose suddenly twitched.

"Looks like Botan brought company," he said.

"Who?"

"Yukina, Atsuko and I'm guessing Keiko. There's two others but I don't recognize them...both human though," said Shiro.

There was a knock on the door.

Shiro opened it and blinked.

"_Mother_?!" said Kurama in shock. Kuwabara was equally shocked to find his sister there as well.

"Botan, explain. Why are those civilians here?" demanded Hiei irate. He didn't mind Yukina, but the others were an unwelcome presence.

"Well you see..." she started nervously.

"So I take it that this is Shiro Emiya? How do you do, I'm Shiori," said Kurama's mother.

Shiro blinked then bowed back.

"At least she didn't drag Taiga or Sakura with her...that wouldn't have been worth the headache explaining..." muttered Shiro.

"Botan, why are they here?"

"Keiko, Atsuko and Shizuru cornered me and forced me to tell them where you went...it was Keiko's idea to bring your mother Kurama!" said Botan quickly.

Kurama leveled a look at Yusuke's long time friend.

"Well perhaps they can help solve our problem on who gets stuck in the sidelines," said Shiro finally.

"What do you mean?" asked Shizuru.

"We can't figure out whether Kuwabara should act as the spare, or if I should. I'm the better fighter but Kuwabara needs the experience," explained Shiro.

"Does the spare have to be in the arena with you?" asked Shizuru.

"No. they only come out if one of us is killed," said Kurama.

"Then it's simple. Judging by that bow and arrow set on your back, I'm guessing you're a really good marksman right Emiya?" said Shizuru.

"I've never missed unless I wanted to," he confirmed.

"Which would mean that your ability to fight would be hindered in an enclosed space, not to mention if we had to get up close and personal. What about you little brother?"

"Last I checked, Kuwabara could chose the length of his sword at will," supplied Kurama.

"Then that settles it. My baby brother is the spare," said Shizuru, in a tone that brokered no arguments.

"What! Now wait just a minute!" complained Kuwabara.

"Good. I'd feel better with Shiro as the one on our team while the idiot guards the girls," said Hiei.

"Besides that, Shiro is a decent medic. It would be more beneficial to our team if he were on hand instead of up in the stands guarding the girls," said Kurama.

Kuwabara reluctantly admitted that point...the girls needed someone to protect them more than they needed his sword, and Shiro was a much better fighter against multiple opponents...and that was before he used his swords. Plus there was his trump card, not that Kuwabara or anyone else outside of Hiei, Yusuke or Genkai knew about it.

* * *

Rinku was eager to see which of the two weaker members would be his opponent. To his dismay it was the weird archer one.

He had heard about the guys ability to destroy demons with mere arrows, and he wanted no part of that!

"So who goes first?" he said cockily.

Shiro stepped forward. Rinku tried not to wince.

"Just so we're clear, if you can't dodge it's your own problem," said Shiro flatly.

"Begin!" said the cheerful Koto.

Shiro immediately let loose one of his arrows. He wasn't wasting time empowering them with holy energy, but the kid was clearly expecting them to be filled with the stuff.

Rinku was so busy dodging Shiro's never-ending arrows that he didn't even notice he had reached the edge until he suddenly found the ground below him gone.

Suddenly he felt the arrows change in nature, and realized he had just been played.

The arrows before were rather harmless, nothing more than simple constructs. These were the holy arrows the survivors of the boat spoke of.

Rinku would have tried to outwit Shiro, except for one small detail.

Instead of a constant barrage of arrow after arrow, suddenly there were hundreds of the damn things, all filled with holy energy aimed in his direction. It was clear Shiro's intent...if Rinku tried to get back on the stage he would skewer him, child or not. And judging from the amount of power this guy had, he could keep launching those awful things for a while now.

Rinku wisely stayed off the stage.

Shiro sighed with relief. Demon or not, he did not want to have a kid's death on his conscience. Shooting all those simple arrows was enough to drive the kid off the stage, but a constant barrage of holy arrows was something he could only keep up for about half a minute, if that. Good thing the kid didn't try to call his bluff.

"Told you it could work," said Hiei smugly. It had been his suggestion to try launching multiple arrows instead of shooting them. And it had taken Shiro three days to figure that one out.

As a consequence, Genkai made another accidental discovery about her apprentice. One that was rather unsettling, though considering the circumstances rather fortunate. If he could get it going anyway.

Shiro had a Reality Marble. One geared towards an infinite number of swords. Genkai had noticed an odd ripple when he projected multiple arrows and had done a few tests to confirm the outlandish suspicion she had.

Which meant Shiro absolutely could never step foot in Clock Tower or go near another Magus. At least not without back up or becoming a noted psychic first. If an incarnation was rare, having a reality marble while still being classed as human was a near impossible find. The Association would never allow him to escape unscathed if they learned of his existence.

The best he could hope for was to become a lab rat.

He leaned against the arena, catching his breath. Shooting arrows like that took a lot out of him.

When Hiei incinerated his opponent, Shiro was quick to go to work and healed as much as he could using his limited skills and salves. He would be able to move his arm, but that was about it. Yukina would likely do a better job.

Kurama was more than mildly irritated at the idiot who openly threatened his mother, unaware she was in fact in the crowd at that very moment, and that Shiro was a good enough shot to hit any demon he sent even at the distance she was at.

He killed him without remorse.

Yusuke went up last as the two spares ran off in terror, and ended up winning thanks in part to his thick skull. Shiro could see from his spot that Yusuke's mother was openly interested against the guy he had beaten. Not his problem.

* * *

"Emiya-kun, you are an excellent shot! I've never seen someone aim an arrow so accurately!" said Shiori impressed.

"Shiro's the best archer in the school. He doesn't even need to aim," bragged Yusuke. He was considered Shiro's best friend since he knew him the best. Even Sakura and Taiga acknowledge that the two were close.

"He's also the only person I've ever met who can keep this idiot interested in actually _studying_," said Atsuko amused. Next to her was Chu, Yusuke's opponent.

She had cornered him shortly before they reached the hotel after discussing the possibility of dating him with her son. Yusuke had no issues with it.

In Shiori's lap was the tiny Rinku, mostly because of her motherly vibe, to Kurama's annoyance.

Rinku gave Shiro cautious looks, as he remembered the power behind those holy arrows...at least until Shiro set down something sweet he had made.

After that Rinku more or less forgave him for using him as target practice.

Yukina was healing Hiei's arm as best she could, since she was better at it than Shiro was.

"And to think that was the most basic trick Shiro could pull. I still don't see why you didn't skewer the little runt when you had the chance," said Hiei.

"I told you before Hiei, I want to be a hero when I grow up. Killing a child, even a demon one, is not something that would qualify as being 'hero-like'," said Shiro tiredly.

Most of those not familiar (namely everyone but those in the active fighter's team) blinked at such an odd goal.

"Seriously?" said Rinku in disbelief. How did he lose to this naïve guy?

Shiro chuffed in annoyance.

"My dad's dream before he got too old was to be a hero of justice. I always admired him, and right before he died I promised to make his dream a reality. So far I've been making a lot of strides towards that goal," said Shiro.

"So long as you don't make an idiotic mistake and become a Counter Guardian in the process, I dare say you would succeed," said Kurama dryly. He had been reading up on Magi and their beliefs thanks to the books Genkai had.

"Counter Guardian?" asked Shiori.

"There are certain spirits in service to the World itself, which is known as Alaya by a group of powerful people, called the Counter Guardians. They only show up when humanity is making too much progress, whether good or bad, and equalize the balance. Usually by wiping everyone out until there's one left. They're little more than cleaner spirits..." explained Botan. The spirit world wasn't exactly a _fan_ of them either, since they usually made an absolute mess of things in the process.

"Sounds horrible," said Keiko.

"Which is why I'm trying to relearn to rely on others first," said Shiro.

Learning about the truth of a Counter Guardian had changed quite a bit about Shiro's desire to become a hero. For one thing, making a deal with the World was absolutely not an option. He had no desire to become nothing more than a spirit who walked in to murder everyone.

And Kurama's blunt knowledge of humanity in general also made sure that he wouldn't be foolish enough to just help people without a goal in mind. People might be able to handle a promise to one long gone, but if he didn't come up with some fake goal to work towards, then it would only be a matter of time before those he saved became suspicious of him in general. And the last thing he wanted was to go the way of Joan of Arc. Burned by the church despite the fact she saved France.

"I must admit, while it's an unusual goal for a boy your age, it's at least a nice one," said Shiori finally.

Shiro openly blushed.

"So how did you meet Yusuke?" asked Keiko. She had to know that story, if only to figure out why the two had bonded so fast.

"A misunderstanding mostly. I went to see Master Genkai for help in something my dad had been trying to teach me before he died, but I didn't know about her tests to become her official apprentice. I was able to convince her to take me on along with Yusuke once he passed her tests, and when I heard about his situation at his school I convinced him to try transferring to the one I go to," said Shiro.

"Yusuke mentioned my living situation, and Shiro offered to let me crash at his house while I was looking for Yukina. He never made me leave even after we rescued her," said Hiei.

"We met during a case against four demons known as the Four Saint Beasts," said Kurama.

"I met him during the tournament... didn't really get to know him tho'," said Kuwabara.

"I don't get it... How can someone as openly nice as Shiro befriend someone like you Yusuke? You're nothing alike!" said Keiko.

"I think it had more to do with the shared misery of learning under Genkai and the fact I didn't care about his history as a known delinquent. My next door neighbors are a yakuza clan known as the Fujimura, and my guardian is the granddaughter of the clan head," said Shiro.

"How is Taiga-chan anyway?" asked Atsuko fondly.

"Still an unrepentant mooch. Thankfully her grandfather helped me explain why Yusuke and I had to leave school for a few months," said Shiro.

"So is a bow your primary weapon Shiro-kun?" asked Shizuru.

"He's an excellent bowman, but he's even more impressive with his swords," said Hiei.

"Swords?" perked up Rinku.

Shiro stretched his hands.

"Trace...on."

A shinai appeared in his hands, and most of those who weren't familiar with it or it's wielder backed away rather quickly. Hiei swore in irritation.

"Did you have to use _that_ as an example?!" he said crossly. That thing freaked him out, and he would openly admit to that!

"What the hell is that?!" said Shizuru.

"Isn't that Taiga-chan's favorite sword?" asked Atsuko at the same time.

Shiro grinned openly.

"Figures you'd at least recognize it, Atsuko-san," he chuckled.

He let it disperse, though he would openly admit it was funny to see the reactions of those unfamiliar with Taiga's weapon.


	7. Chapter 7

Of the group, only Shiro, Yusuke and Genkai were at the stadium the next morning. Hiei and Kurama had been delayed, and Kuwabara was still on guard duty for the girls, though now he had some help in the form of Chu and Rinku.

The second Shiro saw their opponents, he knew something was off. For one thing his new ability of automatically structurally analyzing everything he saw (a side effect of training with Genkai the second she learned of his reality marble) he knew that they weren't in control of their actions. They were little more than human familiars being controlled by some _thing_ on their backs.

Shiro looked at Genkai.

"If we can pin them down long enough, can you exorcise whatever the hell they have on their backs?" he whispered to her.

Genkai looked at him calculatingly, before she nodded.

"What do you mean?" asked Yusuke in a low tone.

"They're being controlled... I don't think they are even aware of what's happening to them," said Shiro.

"So aim to incapacitate, not maim?" said Yusuke. Shiro nodded...and was secretly pleased that Yusuke had said a word with five syllables like it was nothing.

Yusuke spoke louder for Koto's benefit.

"How about we make this interesting? A full battle royal between the six of us, since we're both short two members?" he said loudly.

Koto looked at the opposing team's captain. He smirked and agreed to the idea.

Shiro decided to get creative. Instead of bring out his now infamous bow, which automatically made the demons wary on sight because of the arrows he shot, he brought out something that made Koto hiss like a cat when she got too close to it.

Taiga's shinai, complete with bloodlust.

Seeing the men suddenly take an involuntary step back, Shiro had to hold back a laugh. Even without his teacher here, her weapon still instilled a sense of horror and unease.

It begged the question as to how the hell someone as mundane as Taiga got her hands on the damn thing.

* * *

_Meanwhile, in the forest outside the stadium..._

Hiei paused and openly shivered.

"The shinai again?" guessed Kurama. How did a simple sword made of wood manage to freak out someone as tough as Hiei?

"I wish he would quit bringing that damn thing out. It's bad enough in the hands of that nut job Taiga, but in his hands it's a hundred times worse!"

"I'm still trying to figure out why you're so affected by it?"

Hiei shuddered.

"Taiga once let me hold it. That damn thing is more bloodthirsty than a Muramasa blade," he said. Which was preposterous, but it was true.

Hiei had on his side the real Muramasa blade, and it didn't invoke the same level of terror as that shinai did. It was baffling.

"Come on, let's find that human they spoke of before I lose my nerve," said Hiei irritably.

Kurama chuckled behind him.

* * *

Shiro's assault with the shinai gave Yusuke the chance to develop his spiritual sense to the point he could finally see the damn attacks. Since Shiro had taken the training more seriously, he had been able to see them the moment they launched them. At this point it was only time before he was able to match Yusuke power wise.

It was truly fortunate that Yusuke had been designated the 'heir' of Genkai's spirit wave, and that Shiro had only been interested in the chance she was a magus like him, otherwise Shiro might have been chosen as her successor. It was a no brainer who Genkai preferred to teach, of the two only Shiro had the work ethic she liked.

However, that didn't mean he was going to leave her training empty handed. While Yusuke would eventually gain her spirit orb, Shiro would get something more useful in his particular skill set...her magic crest and what circuits she could safely pass on.

Yusuke was her heir to her psychic technique...but Shiro was her successor to her magic. She already had the potions ready for the transplant, and the sheathe would increase his chances of survival. The fact she planned to do a 'psychic surgery' might make the pain a bit more bearable.

Finally Genkai was ready. Shiro nodded to Yusuke and they got out of her way.

She unleashed her technique and blasted the strange growths out of their back, knocking them out cold. Genkai's spiritual power dropped like a rock after that.

Shiro stared in awe at what she had done.

"You are so teaching me that," he said in a low voice she could only just hear.

"If your power has raised enough and we both survive this, maybe," she conceded. With his goals, he might be able to use it like it was supposed to be used...to help people.

Suddenly a side of the stadium shattered, revealing a broken robot...and the missing Hiei and Kurama.

Hiei looked...relieved...that the shinai was gone.

"Sorry we're late. We were held up by our new..._friend..._ here," he said smoothly.

The jerk who manipulated the poor psychics looked rather pissed at the sight of his robot in pieces. Even more so when their master showed up, healed thanks to Kurama.

Yusuke kicked his ass when he tried something, his already bad mood coupled with a migraine.

Shiro had an odd look on his face when they were told that they would be going through another fight almost immediately.

He could see that Genkai, while still a strong old broad, was too weak to be of any real use, and Hiei was still recovering from his hellfire technique. They were taken out for the next round, though Genkai was quick to remind Shiro of one important fact.

He still had his spirit cuffs on. She had to give him the passcode to remove them once his prana started to go out, since if he used it up he would be too tired to fight for the rest of the day. Better to unleash the cuffs instead of overusing his circuits.

Kurama went up first, beating the first opponent easily enough, though the second one reminded him of Yukina. Shiro was careful to remove the plant from Kurama's arm. Fortunately the fox demon had prepared him in case this happened, so he was able to breath a little easier with the carnivorous plant out of his body.

Shiro watched as Yusuke beat the next two opponents, though he was having a lot of fun with the red-haired Irish demon.

Hearing their wish, Shiro wondered if they would be interested in crashing at his house. He still had six unused rooms, since he lived in a mansion with an outbuilding. He had no problem letting them living in his house.

Unfortunately Yusuke ended up with a double knock out on a technicality.

Shiro took his place on the arena. He didn't bother with the shinai, mostly because Hiei would let him have it later. Instead he drew his bow.

"Begin!" shouted Koto.

Shiro projected a holy sword Genkai had showed him once. He merely altered it to be more flight worthy before he started shooting the Earth-master with swords. Koto had to dive off the stage before one nearly hit her...the jerk tried to use her to divert even one of the continuous stream of swords.

He stepped off the stage to gain an armor made entirely of earth, but suddenly found himself pinned like a bug to cardboard by the volley of swords Shiro launched. Unlike Rinku, he wouldn't hesitate to kill this jerk. The holy energy worked against the youki Risho used to make his armor, and if he tried to move, Shiro would launch a second strike.

"Winner, Emiya!" said Koto. Before he got off the arena he did pause by the demoness and whispered an open apology for almost accidentally skewering her.

Koto looked surprised he was apologizing to her, a demon, when it was clear he had enough holy energy to be a priest. People with that sort of energy normally didn't give a rat's ass about demons.

* * *

"_This_ is Koenma? Seriously?!" said Shiro.

This was not what he was expecting for the Prince of the Spirit World.

"Laugh it up Magus," said Koenma irritably.

"What's a Magus?" asked Keiko.

Shiro looked alarmed, but Koenma told her anyway.

"If the Magus Association asks I'm the one who told them. They can't exactly _kill_ me, despite what they would wish otherwise. They have to work with the Reikai occasionally, though they really don't like us," said Koenma.

Shiro caught the hint.

"So if I were to say, get a job as Yusuke's partner or as his replacement should anything happen..." said Shiro.

"Automatic protection so long as you follow the Reikai's rules and don't do anything to violate the soul," said Koenma bluntly.

"Right...where do I sign?" he said just as quickly.

Koenma snorted.

"You're already registered as one of Genkai's students. The fact you've been helping Yusuke without us asking was enough to put you on his team. Basically you're already known as his partner," said Koenma.

"Could I get that in writing in the event the Association learns of me?" he asked.

Koenma handed something that looked like a badge of sorts. It didn't have any real meaning to the normal cops, but to Magi and their ilk it radiated enough prana to warrant closer inspection.

"In case an Enforcer finds out about you, this will tell them you're off limits so long as the prana and spirit energy is active on it. If you do something against Reikai law, the protection becomes inactive," said Koenma.

"So why would someone like Shiro need protection?" asked Atsuko.

"The Magus Association is primarily made up of researchers who use a power they call magic. Unfortunately the more someone uses the same power, the less effective that power becomes. Think of it like a poison. The first dose is unusually strong because you have no resistance to it. The second dose is about half strength and so on. Eventually it become ineffective if used too often," said Koenma.

"So why would that affect Shiro?" asked Kuwabara.

"Shiro, from the records Genkai has submitted, has a magic that can't be duplicated to lessen it's overall effectiveness. Magi can't allow something that powerful outside it's purview, so they put what is known as a 'sealing designation' on the Magus responsible. That basically means whoever has earned one is too dangerous to allow outside the Association or whatever lab they are assigned to. The best one could hope for after a sealing designation is to become a Hermit, someone who quietly practices their magic and tries not to blow their cover, or to boldly become a Philosopher, someone who openly practices their magic and is hunted relentlessly by the Association's hunters who are called Enforcers."

"And that's not including the Church," said Shiro.

"Which is why the badge also emits enough spiritual energy to get their attention. The Church can't interfere with Reikai business, mostly because we aren't Magi and we try to keep the spirits they hunt at a minimum. At best you could say they're an off shoot of the afterlife," said Koenma.

"I'm just glad I have _some_ protection from the Association," said Shiro in relief.

"So what is a Magus really?" asked Keiko.

"Well for one thing, I would be considered at best a second rate Magi," said Shiro calmly.

"But that trick you did with the arrows and that sword!" sputtered Keiko.

"That's part of my only skill set with magic. Genkai-sensei found out I have what's known as a reality marble...the ability to overwrite reality through power. And since it's tied to my element and origin, that means I can analyze, copy and recreate any sword I come across automatically. The arrow trick I pull is just projecting a simple arrow and then pouring so much holy energy that it does damage to anything that is sensitive to that energy...which demons qualify rather well. Kurama might be able to take one of my arrows at half power with minor damage since he's technically half-human, but Hiei would be adversely affected if I hit him," explained Shiro.

"I'm still confused as to how you're able to use holy energy. You're not exactly someone who's normally in tune with that particular power," said Koenma.

"I'm not actually in tune with it at all. My element and origin is sword. What I'm really doing is copying the energy off another artifact and adding it to my weapons."

"That would explain quite a bit, but what artifact are you in contact with?" asked Koenma.

"The sheathe that was lost and is said to hold the spirit of Britain's greatest king until their darkest hour," he said cryptically.

It took a moment to process that statement before Koenma's eyes flew wide.

"How did you get that?!" he said in shock.

"I have no idea, but I'm fairly certain it's my father's doing. I certainly don't remember seeing it before Genkai found it and helped bring it out of me."

"What sheathe?" asked Shiori.

"The less people know what it is, the better it is for Shiro. If a Magi knew he had it, then they wouldn't stop at anything to try and steal it," said Koenma.

"What is it?" asked Atsuko.

"A sheathe that's healing power was so great it literally stopped the aging process and healed any wound," said Koenma, before he added "Before it was stolen from it's master anyway. It would only work to it's fullest potential in her hands, but in the hands of a magi it would work as a healing artifact of great power, just not to the best of it's considerable ability."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean _her_? Are you said that the King was a..." said Shiro in shock.

"Her actual gender was obscured by history and known only to a few. However her name was actually a misprint. Her real name was Alturia," said Koenma.

Shiro looked like he had been smacked with a fish. Who knew the greatest king in history, known on every continent by name was actually a girl?

"Wait, if the king was really a girl, then how did..." asked Shiro.

"A prank by her teacher. It certainly didn't help the gender confusion," chuckled Koenma.

"That... is rather horrifying actually," said Shiro.


	8. Chapter 8

**Mwahaha... In this chapter there will be some unexpected Genkai and Shiro interaction, and I plan to add to their back stories. Also, a certain troll makes an appearance with a prezzie for Shiro. Enjoy!**

* * *

With the promise of two days off in order to give the reigning team a chance to whittle down the competitors, Team Urameshi split off for their own various activities.

For Kurama, it was a chance to show his mother what his life had been like while escorting her.

For Hiei, it was a chance to stalk Touya, the ice demon Kurama had fought and beaten through sheer bullheadedness while he openly courted his sister. Apparently Yukina was interested in learning his ice techniques.

For Kuwabara, it was a chance to keep an eye on his sister.

For Yusuke, it was time to hit the local stalls for some free stuff.

Keiko stuck near Botan mostly. Atsuko and Chu were on a date with Rinku following them.

And Shiro? He was working with Genkai to unlock that blasted reality marble, or at least a fraction of it.

So far they knew it needed a specific aria, but Shiro was having no luck figuring out which one.

Genkai was frustrated. However that didn't mean the day had to be a total waste.

"This is getting us nowhere," she said at last.

"I agree," he said tiredly.

"Since we're alone for the moment, there is something I've been meaning to tell you and Yusuke for a while now. Before this tournament is over, I will be dead," said Genkai.

"What?"

"The only reason I'm here is because Toguro came to see me personally. The last time I was here, we won together and I asked never to be bothered again. Toguro, however, asked to become a demon."

"And now he's going to kill you on the off chance that it will end his existence. And to motivate Yusuke and me," said Shiro.

"Pretty much. He wants someone to surpass him. Either he's tired of being a demon, or he's still reeling from the death of our daughter and our grandson," shrugged Genkai.

"Hwa?"

"I didn't always live in a secluded temple Shiro," said Genkai.

"So you and Toguro were..."

"Lovers? A long time ago."

"So what does this mean for Yusuke and me?"

"If you win, chances are I'll be brought back anyway for Yusuke's benefit. If not I'll see you anyway. Either way we'll meet up. But to even the odds, I'll be making sure the two of you are actually prepared for the finals. In Yusuke's case it means I'll be passing on my spirit orb earlier than I had hoped."

"And me?"

"My mage crest. I already ordered the potions through Koenma, the problem is that you'll be laid up for the better part of the day...if you survive. At best you could be the spare and Kuwabara takes your place in the finals."

Shiro was stunned. He hadn't been able to inherit Kiritsugu's crest, mostly because it was so deteriorated. He didn't even know Genkai _had_ a crest to pass on.

"Why didn't you pass it on to your daughter or grandkid?" he asked.

"My daughter wanted nothing to do with me, and my grandchild died in the Fuyuki fire. There's a reason I know so much about the Grail Wars Shiro. It took my last remaining family from me," said Genkai.

It was how she ran into Zouken. She had been trying to at least find some remnant of her grandson.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It doesn't matter. With any luck you'll be able to handle my crest and the circuits I'll be giving you. I came from a long line of Magi, though they wanted nothing to do with me when I took an interest in psychics, despite the fact I was the one to inherit the family crest."

Shiro winced. That couldn't have been fun.

"In any case I'll have to start prepping you for the transfer early, seeing as how I won't be here for the finals," said Genkai.

"Where do we start?"

* * *

Shortly after the first round, a disturbed Genkai bothered by memories of her only remaining family, went to visit Koenma. She had never directly asked about her grandson or whether he had passed to the one in charge of it, but all the memories did make her wonder if he had really died.

"Fuyuki fire? Ugh! Don't remind me of that nightmare! The paperwork alone..." shivered Koenma with a wince.

"I'm looking for one specific soul. That's it. He was of a Magus bloodline if that helps."

"That does narrow it down rather nicely. About how old was he?"

"Seven, at the least," said Genkai.

"Not many magi-blood that young in Fuyuki and thanks to the war the kid might have been targeted by that damn Caster Servant..."

"The last I heard from his guardians, it was shortly before the fire," said Genkai.

"Name?"

Genkai told him.

Koenma ran past his memory of the children sent on during that horrible war.

"Shirohito Takahashi... I don't remember that name passing my desk during that time."

"So it's possible he's still alive?" asked Genkai.

"Possible, but not likely. Several children left alive once that nightmare ended went missing in the years after," said Koenma.

"I have to know. If only for my own peace of mind."

"I'll look into it," said Koenma.

It would take a lot of digging but it would keep Botan from blowing all her money. She liked Genkai after all.

* * *

Shiro was bored, an unusual thing for him.

"Hello there Emiya Shiro. Fancy running into you around here of all places when you're supposed to be firmly rooted in Fuyuki," said an amused voice.

Shiro turned to find a obvious Magus, though one that had been turned apostle from the looks of it.

"Who are you?"

"Silly me, I forgot my manners. My name is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, though you can just call me Zelretch for short. I'm a Magician," he said grinning.

Shiro blinked.

"As in the Wizard Marshal Zelretch?"

"The same. Imagine my surprise to see you here when nearly all your alternates stay in Fuyuki until the fifth grail war starts off," he said.

"My dad made a comment about some psychics being Magi with unusually active circuits, and fortunately Genkai was willing to take me as her apprentice."

"This is very interesting! I usually only come to these things for a laugh and to screw over a few youkai, but you've peaked my interest! A Shiro Emiya who has psychic ability and is trained before the war? I'd be a fool to pass up the chance to meddle in this time line!" said Zelretch with a far too disturbing grin.

"And by meddle you mean..."

"Help you with the small issue of your reality marble, and possibly give you a boost."

Shiro blinked. He had heard of Zelretch...the vampire lived to screw people over for his own amusement.

"This...is a Class Card. Specifically that of Archer, a very special one at that. If you use this, you'll find it a little easier to activate your reality marble. If you amuse me enough I'll even help you summon your Servant before the war actually starts," said Zelretch.

"This seems a little too good to be true."

"You have any other options?"

"Continue with the preparations Genkai's been doing," said Shiro flatly.

"If I remember right, Genkai dies during this tournament. If that's the case then the prep work you mean is for transferring a mage crest, correct?" said Zelretch.

"Genkai's giving me her crest on the off chance it would help," said Shiro.

"In that case why don't I lend my considerable assistance in this? Recovery would be instant on this end," said Zelretch.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch, just permission to go to your home whenever I'm bored in the event that you'll entertain me even more by doing something different."

"Just so we're clear, I do charge unless it's an overnight stay. Even Hiei pays rent," said Shiro.

"Fair enough."

* * *

"YOU WHAT?! Are you insane boy?!" shouted Genkai when she saw who Shiro had dragged back with him.

"I figured it would be easier to humor him instead of trying to ignore him," said Shiro sensibly.

"I'll give you that, but getting in league with that damn troll is a bad idea," said Genkai.

"He said that all of my alternates he's seen so far stick to Fuyuki until the war. He also said he might drop by the house when he's bored to see if I can amuse him further," said Shiro.

"Be careful Shiro, the last thing I want to see is my favorite apprentice killed because he got mixed with that nuisance."

* * *

Botan was in the records room, looking up something as a request from Genkai.

"Shirohito...Shirohito... Here it is! Takahashi Shirohito. Well at least it looks like the kid's not..." said Botan, before her eyes landed on a passage. It practically screamed at her, and she had to race to check the book out from the records hall.

_'Genkai's going to flip when she finds out!'_ thought Botan.

* * *

It was a few hours before the next match. The day before Genkai and Shiro had taken Zelretch's offer to do this off world so they could accelerate Shiro's recovery time, if he survived that is.

Strangely, Shiro took rather easily to Genkai's family crest. Almost too easily considering he was an orphan who hadn't even inherited his father's crest.

Shiro was banned from using his prana for the match, mostly because Genkai was still worried it might try to backfire horribly on him since as far as she was aware, he wasn't even her blood.

Botan nearly crash landed into the window...if Genkai hadn't been up already and opened it.

"What's got you in such a state?" she asked, reaching for her coffee.

"You said your grandson's name was Shirohito Takahashi right?" she said breathlessly.

"Yes, what about it?"

"He's not only alive, but you won't believe who he is!" said Botan, giving her the record.

Genkai raised an eyebrow, before she opened up the book. She got to the Fuyuki fire...and her breath stopped cold.

"_'For further records please refer to Emiya Shiro_'," she read aloud.

There was no way. This had to be a mistake.

"Morning," said Shiro, making breakfast. It was too early for room service, even if it was free. Then he noticed something.

"What's that?"

"A record of Genkai's grandchild," said Botan, eyes glinting.

"So is he still alive?" asked Shiro.

"He's not only alive, he still lives in Fuyuki as his primary residence."

"Maybe I know of him," said Shiro, reaching for the tea.

"I'll say you do!" cackled Botan.

"Are these records accurate?" demanded Genkai.

"Reikai records never lie. We have an entire room keeping track of people's lives, and we paid special attention to Fuyuki since they started that Grail War nonsense. We're still looking for the children who weren't taken in by their relatives... their last known location was the Church."

"So what your grandson's name?" asked Shiro.

"Does the name Shirohito Takahashi ring a bell?" asked Genkai, watching his reaction.

Shiro's eyes blanked for a moment.

"I think I remember the doctor's talking loudly about a famous master looking for anyone with the name Takahashi... but that's it."

"Shiro, what do you remember of your past before Emiya adopted you?" asked Genkai bluntly.

"Nothing," he said immediately.

"Nothing?" asked Genkai dumbly.

"The only thing I remembered before the fire was a half name with the word 'white'. It's why my first name is Shiro. Everything else I discarded during that fire just to keep moving. By the time Kiritsugu found me I was a total blank slate, probably why he had such a profound impact on me," said Shiro honestly.

Genkai looked at him sharply.

"Shiro, remember my surprise at how easily you took to my mage crest?" she said.

"Zelretch said it was odd too," said Shiro. They had simply taken it as a good thing. It meant he would have a much shorter recovery time.

"Shiro...the Reikai kept up-to-date records on _everyone_. Do you know what Botan found when she went looking for my only grandchild?"

Curious, Shiro sat down his tea and looked at the book. He nearly fell over in shock upon reading his own name staring back at him.

"You mean you're..."

"According to the Reikai, Shirohito Takahashi became Shiro Emiya," she said, "Funny how you found me solely because of your adopted father isn't it? I'll have to find Kiritsugu to thank him for leading you back to me."

"Wait! Doesn't that mean that..."

"Sadly yes. Which means either you or Yusuke will have to kill your grandfather."

Shiro collapsed onto the chair.

"Well at least now we know that the odds of me rejecting the crest entirely are next to nill," he said finally.

"I don't care what that damn vampire said. It's about time you removed those cuffs so I can reapply the things. Keeping them on too long can cause a good deal of damage," said Genkai.

"We might as well go to the roof then," said Shiro mechanically.

* * *

"Abvitis."

With that single word, every single demon and spiritually aware human in the hotel had a rude awakening.

Shiro's spiritual power, after being forced to stay at maximum for nearly _four_ months, was easily stronger than Yusuke's at the moment. Even Genkai had been surprised at being thrown back a bit.

"Definitely interesting," chuckled Zelretch, having using his mastery of the Kaleidoscope to watch the show.

"Shiro, reign that in already!" shouted Genkai.

Shiro brought his raging energy back under control.

And found himself with a rather interested audience.

"Dude, what the hell?" said Yusuke.

"Remember those spirit cuffs Genkai gave me to raise my reserves? I just took them off," he said.

"How long have you had them on?" asked Kurama.

"He's had them since shortly after we rescued Yukina," answered Hiei.

"Four months did _that?_" said Kurama in disbelief.

"Since we're already out, any chance we got get a pair?" asked Jin, ears twitching.

Genkai found herself applying them to most of the demons as well as a reminder of the word to remove them. If four months of wearing them constantly could get Shiro, who had no idea what spiritual power _was_ up to a mid A-rank in power from being an E previously, they would be fools to pass up on a pair. Especially when he was borderline B with them _on_.

"Hehehe... You're turning out to be more interesting the longer I stay, Emiya Shiro," said Zelretch chuckling.

No way was he letting this kid go now!


	9. Chapter 9

Shiro was in the stadium, ready and waiting to fight. Despite having released the cuffs, his power was now firmly at a low B instead of the high C it had been the last fight.

For once his usual bow wasn't slung over his shoulder...instead he had a copy of the same sword Kuwabara had used to awaken his spirit sword. Even the fragment he had kept (and brought with him as a good luck charm) had been enough for Shiro to copy it to his growing collection. After this fight Zelretch was going to have fun showing off the weapons he had collected throughout the worlds.

The possibility of Shiro being able to use the more spiritually-inclined ones to their full extent was enough to make him interested in helping grow the collection apparently.

In his other hand was the card Zelretch had given him. He was only allowed to use it in an extreme emergency. Genkai wanted him to get used to his spirit energy first, so prana was now his last resort.

* * *

_Meanwhile, outside the stadium_...

Genkai had just started Yusuke on the final leg of her makeshift training. He wouldn't last a chance against Toguro right now, not unless he had a massive booster.

Yusuke was already inside the cave, and she had silenced the area. She kept close track of his spiritual pressure in the event his body rejected the orb. It was partially made of her magic circuits, so rejection was a very real possibility. Shiro might have been able to take it with less issues, but Yusuke wasn't related to her at all.

She felt someone approach. It was her former lover.

"Fancy seeing you here. That orb won't be enough," he said.

"Ironic you would chose now to show yourself. It's not time for me to die...they still need my help to get to the finals."

"I know. I'm more curious about your _other_ apprentice," Toguro said evenly.

"Natalie's son is alive," she said.

Toguro stopped cold.

"He lives?"

"Not only that, but you felt his energy this morning. We woke up the hotel when he unleashed the spirit cuffs," she informed him.

"Emiya?" he guessed.

"The same. The fire wiped his memory clean. He didn't even know his full name."

"...I'll keep him alive, if only for your memory should your other apprentice fail," said Toguro.

"If he fails to kill you, keep an eye out for the Church and the Association. Shiro has a reality marble and he's an incarnation," she warned him.

Genkai hadn't moved once.

Toguro nodded, and left. The mere fact that the last remnant of his humanity was still alive was enough of a shock for him.

* * *

"Emiya Shiro," said the smug spokedemon of the other team.

Shiro gripped his wooden sword. He could feel his spirit energy charging up.

Hiei was less than pleased that he had missed his second turn.

Shiro walked up.

"You not going to use your fancy bow, archer boy?" sneered Kuromomotaro.

"It has been suggested that I rely too much on trick shots, by one of my roommates," said Shiro evenly, eyes flicking towards Hiei. He was one of those who preferred pure power, so it wasn't unreasonable for him to have complained.

"You not going to use that other sword of yours?" he sneered.

"Hiei hates it when I bring it out around him, and I happen to be right next to the room he shares with Kurama. I don't want him using fire in my room," said Shiro.

Hiei's snort all but confirmed that he would make Shiro pay for using it around him.

"A pity."

Shiro didn't let him say anything else, as he moved without warning.

Kuromomotaro thought he was simply going for an incapacitating attack, seeing as how he had yet to kill any of his opponents.

His sneer lasted until Shiro's spiritually charged sword cut his head off cleanly. He was dead before his body hit the ground.

"It's about damn time!" complained Hiei.

"I don't like killing if I can help it...besides Risho was too much of a hassle to deal with," said Shiro bluntly, shaking off most of the blood. He might have to fight again after all.

"Kurama," Juri called out after the dice were thrown again.

"Good luck," said Shiro.

Kurama smirked.

"After you let me use your gardens as a lab, I won't need luck," he replied. With that much space and the guarantee no one would touch anything they weren't supposed to (Genkai had layered a few runes around the more dangerous plants to keep the unwary away from them) Kurama finally had time to experiment with his beloved botany.

He had actually created a few successful hybrid strains that were deadly in their own right.

Shiro was unconcerned, though he could see Shiori was worried when the smoke obscured her son from view.

If all the smoke did was revert any who breathed in into a younger state, then Kurama was the sole fighter of their team who would actually _benefit_ from his body reverting in age. He was, after all, a reincarnated fox demon with full possession of his memories and almost all his powers.

Though Shiro did do a doubletake when he saw Kurama's true form.

He also smirked when he saw the lust in Hiei's eyes, and knew that the fire demon had a crush on Kurama, though he had always denied as such.

It was about time he had some ammo against Hiei!

Shiro felt his grandmother's spiritual pressure enter the area, and he knew due to the fact it was much, much lower than this morning, that Yusuke had survived the orb and absorbed it.

"Who's up next?" asked Shishiwakamaru.

Shiro looked at Hiei, who was very irritated that he had missed out on a second fight. He looked at Kurama, before his eyes flicked to Hiei with a spark of mischief in his eyes.

The fox spirit got the idea pretty quick, and to the shock of the fire demon they bodily tossed him on the stage before he could react.

He cursed them out at the prank, though the two red heads were snickering.

"So why did you have Hiei go up? Not that I'm complaining since we just pranked him mind you," asked Kurama as the cranky fire demon.

"I get the feeling he won't last against whatever trick this guy has, besides my grandmother just reached the arena. This would give her time to get down here."

"Your...grandmother?" blinked Kurama.

"As it turns out, according to Reikai's records I'm her last living relative. Her grandson to be exact. Since I lost my memory except for a half-remembered first name, she was unable to take me in."

"_Genkai_ is your grandmother," deadpanned Kurama in disbelief.

"It gets better. Toguro is my grandfather. Apparently they had a child before the tournament that they participated in, and their daughter wanted nothing to do with Genkai after. Genkai kept track of her anyway until the fire wiped out the records," said Shiro.

"And you went to her temple because of a comment made by your adopted father... talk about a coincidence," said Kurama.

"She only started to suspect I was her grandson Shirohito because of the fact there wasn't much of a recovery time from giving me her mage crest. Botan was the one who found the record," said Shiro.

"Lucky. You do know that Genkai will be dead soon right? Toguro plans to kill her," said Kurama.

"Why do you think she gave me her crest early, despite the fact I wasn't nearly completed with her training?"

Suddenly Hiei vanished from the arena, and Shiro was the only one not surprised when the Masked Fighter ended up being Genkai.

Hiei returned in time to see Genkai kicking the arrogant pretty boy demon's ass.

Genkai ended up finishing off for the team. Aside from giving every female in the stadium a goal in life...to be like her when they were that age...she was pretty much done for this tournament.

Genkai's last act was to give Shiro a set of keys and a book. It had the basics for the spirit wave technique so he could make his own spirit orb and through it use her spirit wave.

She had already made her will, leaving most of her things to Shiro as her grandson, since he was close enough to Yusuke that they were practically brothers without the blood. Koenma had gone to the mainland long enough to update her family register in the town she lived close to, so in the event they lost, Shiro would be able to inherit everything anyway.

Surprisingly, Toguro had his own contributions to that.

Shiro was now the heir of all his techniques from when he was still human. He would have to wait until he returned to the mainland to get them, but at least none of the human Toguro's fighting knowledge would be lost.

Since Natalie, their daughter, had wanted nothing to do with her parents or their world, this was the next best thing. Shiro wasn't a pacifist as Natalie had been before the accident taken her life.

Yusuke had to be tied up to keep from running off after Genkai. Unlike Shiro, he didn't calmly accept the fact that with every move they made a Magus walked along the borders of death's realm. Well, that and he knew for a fact if they won she would be coming back anyway.

* * *

"So Koenma, what exactly do the winning team's owner get when their picks win?" asked Shiro.

"Forty-four trillion in cash," he said.

There was a collective spit take from every human in the room.

"Seriously!?" said Yusuke in disbelief. Losing Genkai had hurt, but this was ridiculous!

"You don't exactly have an account to put that much cash in, right?" asked Atsuko.

"Not really. I live in the Reikai, what would I have a need for human money?" said Koenma.

Shiro had an idea. A way to insure that Yusuke and Kuwabara at least got something out of this mess than just fighting experience.

"Well then, when they call you up, why not suggest that in the event that Team Urameshi wins they pay out the usual amount amongst the team evenly? Well, aside from Hiei who doesn't really need human currency," said Shiro.

"That sounds like a great idea! Sure fighting for our life is fun and all, but it doesn't exactly help pay the bills!" said Yusuke in agreement.

"Plus there's the fact that you haven't exactly been _paying_ Yusuke for his time and blood during the previous cases," said Shiro slyly.

Koenma caught his meaning. If he was going to be 'employing' Yusuke, then he could at least make it easier for him to living in the human world.

"I'll bring it up with them later. I doubt they would care about splitting the winnings for the tournament among the winning team, since I don't actually have an account to put it all in," promised Koenma.

"Which brings another matter... What in the hell is that on your head Yusuke?"

Shiro had been asleep when Yusuke came in with Puu, since he was recovering from receiving Genkai's mage crest, and he had assumed it was some weird doll the girls had picked up.

Yusuke gained a scowl when everyone else burst into fresh peals of laughter at his expense.

"It's his spirit beast," snickered Botan.

"Spirit beast?"

"During the time he was dead, he was given a spirit beast egg as a test. Unfortunately he used it to save Keiko and Kuwabara from a fire while they retrieved his unconscious body, so he had to use another method. I kept the egg anyway, and it recently hatched into Puu here," said Koenma.

"Really? How common are these psychic familiars?" asked Shiro interested. He didn't think it was silly looking, just unfinished. He knew Yusuke had potential, but it was clear to him that the thing was just waiting for whatever sleeping power Yusuke had to wake up before it finished growing.

"Not very, mostly because there's always the risk that the person would hatch a monstrous demon instead that would devour their soul," said Koenma.

Kuwabara shivered.

"But they can be used like a Magi's familiar right?" asked Shiro.

"I honestly have no idea. It's never been tested before," said Koenma, considering the idea.

"That's right, Shiro doesn't even have a normal familiar does he?" said Botan, remembering his file.

"Nothing ever appealed to me," shrugged Shiro.

"I'll see about getting you one of the spirit beast eggs. They're mostly just lying around the office anyway," said Koenma after considering the idea.

* * *

Koenma was good on his word. A few hours after talking to the owners of this horrid tournament, they all agreed that in the event the Guest Team won, they would divide the usual prize money among the owners to the members who had actual bank accounts.

I/E: Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shiro, Genkai and Kurama who had a college fund his mother had been adding to for years now.

That would pretty much set them up for life, since it amounted to several billion at the least.

And, on the way back, he even stopped by the office to pick up a spirit beast egg since he wasn't joking about the things just lying around the office.

Shiro put the egg in his pocket which was lined with protective runes along with the card. Hopefully by the time the next problem arose he would have a powerful and friendly familiar.

* * *

The entire final battle was a bit anticlimatic.

Kurama and Hiei all but toyed with their opponents. Kuwabara had grumpily agreed to fight the 'fifth' member of Team Toguro, namely the team's owner, if only because he had been seen around Shizuru more than once. Shiro had jokingly said that if he survived it was entirely possibly that Sakyo would end up Kuwabara's brother-in-law.

Shiro was up against the older Toguro, supposedly his uncle if he really was related to the younger. Somehow he doubted that, and even if he were he wouldn't want any reminder of the fact. In fact, this guy's personality was almost identical to Shinji's...

Shiro snapped himself out of it and vaulted onto the arena. It was badly damaged, but still useable.

This was the last true battle before Yusuke fought Toguro. Shiro had no issues if Yusuke managed to kill him. In his mind, his grandfather died the same day he lost his humanity, so there was no love lost there.

"Heh...so you're the brat my baby brother wants to me to at least leave alive. I don't see what's so special about you, Genkai's spawn," he sneered.

That caught the demon's attention all around the arena.

Juri felt she had to get that clarified, if only to confirm what the older Toguro had just hinted at.

"Genkai's spawn?" she said in curiosity.

"You may be the grandson of that hag and my brother, but that doesn't make you hot stuff kid. Just because you lasted this long is a miracle, nothing more!" sneered the older Toguro.

"I completely agree. The fact we're related doesn't matter outside of inheritance. The fact I'm standing here at all is a miracle considering it was only a chance that I went to her temple the same time she was looking for an apprentice. However this power is all my own, not hers. So I hope you're ready to be skewered, bastard," said Shiro evenly.

He drew a single card from his pocket. Zelretch had told him how to activate the power it was time for his potential to be fully realized, even if it was only temporary until he could figure out how to do it without the aid of the Kaleidoscope.

He said only one word, but that simple word reverberated throughout space and time.

"_**Install."**_


	10. Chapter 10

He felt the flames from the fire inside his soul. That was where everything truly began. The day he cast aside his name, his memories, even his very self just to survive even one more moment.

The Fuyuki fire wasn't just a tragedy to him, it was the signal for his rebirth.

Right now, this very moment, he wasn't Shirohito Takahashi, grandson of a world famous psychic Genkai.

He was Shiro Emiya, future hero.

He could feel the armor climb up his body and envelop him. It was uniquely suited for him alone.

In his hands were twin swords, Kanshou and Byakuya. The twin swords were never truly apart, drawn to each other like polar magnets.

He could feel the flames of the forge, the smell of steel, the taste of blood, the sight of countless blades and the sound of battle. This was the amalgamation of everything he had strove for his entire life since that point. Ever since he was reborn from that simple child into Emiya Shiro.

And yet he felt a profound sense of loss. As if his very ideals had been too great, even for him. Like everything he had geared his very power for had shattered under the pain of his mistakes.

Shiro didn't focus on that though. His opponent right now needed to be more than crushed...he had to be annihilated utterly, blood or no.

Standing before the older Toguro wasn't a rookie psychic with a lot of power...no, this was the Hero Shiro Emiya.

Shiro didn't give this foul cockroach a chance to observe his change. He wanted to end this fast so Yusuke could get to his job and avenge Genkai for the both of them.

_**I am the bone of my sword**_

_**Steel is my body and fire is my blood**_

_**I have created over a thousand blades**_

_**Unknown to Death**_

_**Nor Known to Life**_

_**Have withstood pain to create many weapons**_

_**Yet those hands will never hold anything**_

_**So as I pray...Unlimited Blade Works**_

Shiro's new mage crest and his natural circuits flared under the strain of his reality marble. This was what he had been trying to unlock through research...and yet it wasn't. The power was alive, but it wasn't at it's fullest peak. Something, he felt, was wrong with Archer's aria.

But for the moment it would have to do.

Everyone stared at the great gears that rotated lazily behind Shiro's body. The countless swords in the ground looked more like grave markers than anything else...and everywhere the smell of fire and steel existed.

It was...a hellish void.

"This is his reality?" said Kurama to himself.

Out of the group, only Hiei was undisturbed by the place. Then again, he was a demon who thrived in battle and flames.

"What...what the hell are you?!" shrieked Toguro.

"I am...a Sword," said Shiro calmly. This was not his full reality marble. This was just a parody of what it could have been had he never gone to Genkai's that day.

Shiro charged at the shapeshifting demon, and for the first time since he was human, the older Toguro felt a sliver of fear. Koto found herself in the unenviable position of trying to keep up with the fast paced battle Shiro provided the demons.

Every time a sword was taken from his hand or launched, Shiro merely made another. There was no escape from his relentless assault. Eventually, Shiro felt the time limit on the card starting to come close, so he decided a true game stopper was needed.

After all, there was no kill like overkill.

Shiro grabbed a gold and blue sword, radiating holy energy simply by existing. He knew this sword...it was the one that went alongside the sheathe still resting in his body.

He drew up to full height and began charging his attack.

"_Ex...Calibur!"_ he shouted as he unleashed the sword's ability.

The older Toguro screamed in sheer pain as the holy energy collided with his soul, overwhelmed it utterly, then snuffed out his very existence without even pausing.

If he survived that, Shiro would be very surprised indeed.

Suddenly the world crash around him as the mock reality marble ended abruptly. Juri was shivering her shoes, but Koto enthusiastically declared Shiro the winner.

Shiro leaned against the wall for a moment while his circuits cooled off. No way could he fight with prana, not for at least a few days. He would have to fight using pure spirit energy if he had to, but any use of magecraft would definitely backfire horribly, Avalon assisting his healing or not.

Good thing Genkai had included training on fighting that way. He could do a weak spirit wave, though it was unfinished and could be considered rough at best. He noticed the younger Toguro looking at him with calculating eyes, like he had no idea what to think of the last remains of his human identity.

"You alright Shiro?" asked Yusuke.

"Fine. But I won't be fighting my normal way for a few days after that."

"What the hell was that?" asked Yusuke.

"My reality marble, or a version of it at least. A pale imitation of something I have yet to actually unlock. I think the aria is just off though."

"That was just an imitation?" said Kuwabara paling.

"A very poor one. I'm fairly certain mine will look similar, but the one who had that version was so full of regrets that it was nearly cloying. Like the very weight of his ideals was crushing him completely."

Koto announced that the tournament would be paused while they replaced the arena. After the showing Shiro gave, many of the demons were looking at him with a great deal more respect. So far he had won through simple tricks, like keeping his opponent out from the ring while Koto counted down, or taking advantage of the arrogance his opponent had to kill him without hesitation.

But the sight of even a pale imitation of his true reality marble...coupled with the knowledge of his heritage...well, Shiro wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he became a name to be feared after this was over.

Toguro had already insured that despite whether Yusuke won, Shiro would leave the island alive.

* * *

Shiro was laying down on one of the handy benches in the team locker rooms, mostly so Avalon would have a chance to heal the damage done by using all of his circuits, including the new mage crest on his back, for the first time in his memory. Yukina had shown up with Touya and started healing Shiro, since he was more worn out than Kurama or Hiei.

She looked absolutely horrified at the damage he had done just to kill the older Toguro.

"Your nerves are burning up and shot!" she said in disbelief.

"That's mage circuits for you. I may have overused my prana when I activated that sword," said Shiro without getting up.

Being around Yukina was helping out a lot...she naturally brought in a colder temperature, which was a boon considering his body was practically burning up at the moment.

"So let me get this straight. Every time you over use this...magic...of yours, your body starts to overheat like a kettle left on too long?" said Kurama.

"To be a magus is to walk hand-in-hand with death. Every experiment we do can kill us, and even a second-rate Magi like myself accepts that fact when we try to perfect our craft," said Shiro.

"...Would fever reducing herbs help speed recovery?" asked Kurama.

"Yukina's presence alone is doing a great deal. I might be able to move normally by the time Hiei wakes up," said Shiro.

"It also doesn't help that he only recently got that crest on his back, and his body is still adjusting to the change," said Zelretch.

"What?" said Yusuke in shock, looking at Shiro.

"Think like Genkai's spirit orb, only the rejection rate is much higher if you aren't blood related," explained Shiro.

That cleared up his confusion.

"Since you've entertained me this much, I came with a gift. Your next dose of potions!" said Zelretch.

Shiro made a grimace. It was clear that these potions didn't taste good...at all. He saw how Zelretch grinned at Kurama and informed him that Shiro had to drink it all without trying to get rid of it.

The mischievous thief took the hint and with the help of Yusuke and Kuwabara kept Shiro upright long enough to finish the potion. Judging from the look on his face it was beyond foul tasting.

"What is that stuff for anyway?" asked Yusuke.

"Standard potions given to recover from getting a crest. Better for him to take it when he's exhausted so he can't try anything and he's too weak to try and throw up," said Zelretch.

"Any chance I could get some of your potion recipes?" asked Kurama.

Zelretch smirked.

"Better yet, since Shiro insists on amusing me so regularly I'll be dropping by his home frequently until he ceases to be amusing. We can experiment with the old potions kit if Yusuke survives his fight," he said.

From his tone alone, Shiro knew that Yusuke would not only win, but that they would all live to see their homes again.

"Does anyone object if I sleep this off?"

No one complained, though Yukina opted to stick close to him and reapply a cool cloth to his head since his circuits were still burning hot.

When Hiei saw this image after he finally woke up, he had no issues with Shiro and his sister dating. Shiro was strong enough to suit his tastes, and he knew the boy would never hurt her.

Besides, with his suicidal sword style he would need a medic to back him up. He had only been able to stay awake long enough to see the pale imitation of Shiro's inner self before he had crashed from an utter lack of energy.

* * *

Shiro was at least able to stay awake long enough to see Toguro and Yusuke's fight. Though it was painfully clear to him that the creature that was once his grandfather was holding back.

Toguro didn't want to live anymore. He could have ended Yusuke immediately, but instead he chose to test the youth to his limits before allowing him to beat him.

With the knowledge that his daughter's child was not only alive but able to continue where he and Genkai had left off, he felt a sense of peace he wouldn't have had if Shiro hadn't appeared.

Genkai made a brief appearance, apparently dissatisfied with Yusuke's fighting skill, and finally he had the brains to release his spirit cuffs.

Since he had only been wearing them a quarter of the time Shiro had his first set, his power had only grown a little. The addition of Genkai's spirit orb was a boon, but Shiro could tell from where he was sitting with Yukina next to him (she insisted on keeping the ambient temperature around him cooler than everywhere else when she realized how it was speeding his recovery even remotely) that Toguro was playing Yusuke and forcing him to go all out before allowing him to kill the demon.

Shiro was going to force Yusuke to wear spirit cuffs the second Genkai got back. He was not going to let his idiot of a younger brother... (when did he start thinking of Yusuke as a younger brother?)... get killed because he was getting cocky!

* * *

Shiro was barely able to escape the soon to be destroyed stadium when it started to fall apart. He wasn't that confident in his spirit training to use it to blast holes...though he did somehow end up saving Sakyo despite his protests.

Sakyo wasn't evil, but if given the chance he might become a decent man eventually.

"Hey Obaa-chan," said Shiro when he saw Genkai.

Genkai, however, was focused on Yusuke and immediately slapped him upside the head.

"YOU MORON! Did you not notice Toguro was playing you the entire damn time?!" she yelled at him.

Yusuke looked like he had been slapped silly with a fish.

"You noticed it too?" said Shiro.

"Of course I saw it! Brief as it was! Toguro let you kill him!" said Genkai irate.

"Which reminds me...can you reapply the spirit cuffs on Yusuke?" asked Shiro.

Yusuke looked like a kid throwing a tantrum. Not only were they calmly informing him that his worst opponent yet had let him end his life, but that there was no way in hell he should have been able to end it.

Which was why he let Genkai reapply the spirit cuffs.

Genkai finally turned to Shiro.

"How are your circuits?" she asked. She had seen a brief glimpse of that parody of Shiro's reality marble.

"Still in pain, but Yukina's natural cold presence is speeding up recovery. I won't be fighting or using magecraft for another three days at least, if that," said Shiro honestly. She slapped him on the head, lighter than she did Yusuke. Shiro had at least known the risks and acknowledged them.

"So was what that freaking morpher said true?" asked Yusuke, changing the subject.

"About what?"

"Are you two related?"

"Toguro used to be my lover before he decided to become a demon. Our daughter wanted nothing to do with us, so we honored her wishes. She died shortly after giving birth to our grandson in a car accident. Shirohito Takahashi died in the Fuyuki fire, but Emiya Shiro took his place the moment Kiritsugu adopted him. Which reminds me, Shiro, you have an adopted sister on Kiritsugu's end," said Genkai.

"I do?"

"Illyasviel von Eiznbern, Kiritsugu's biological daughter. I had a nice long chat with the man while I was up there, once Koenma found where his soul had ended up. He seemed very surprised to find you were my grandson. He asked that you at least try to save his daughter from her family, since from what he's seen the girl's grandfather has turned her completely against her father and by extension you," said Genkai flatly.

"If what Zelretch was saying is true, I'll end up meeting her anyway during the war," said Shiro.

"A war that won't take place until around next year," she reminded him.

"I guess that leaves me some time to prepare for it," said Shiro evenly.


	11. Chapter 11

**Just to clear something up, the whole Hiei has a crush on Kurama thing is a GAG. I may be a yaoi fangirl, but the only real pairing I have in mind for this story is a possible Shiro/Yukina one. I could still pair Hiei or Kurama up with someone from FSN...like Kurama with Tamamo-no-Mae or Hiei with Saber. So for those of you who feel the need to yell at me, get off your high horse and get over the joke already.**

* * *

Aside from the sudden increase of cash in his account, the knowledge he still had living relatives to count on, and the addition of Touya and Jin in the guest house, not much had really changed.

Well...aside from the fact that Yusuke's address was now Shiro's house, since Atsuko had given his room to Rinku instead. With her and Chu going steady, it made more sense for Yusuke to stay closer to his school than to keep traveling an hour and a half to and form.

If Shiro's house became very lively because of the addition of more people, he didn't comment on it. Taiga was just glad Shiro only lived with one female and that the girl in question had a very protective brother to keep the growing guest list of Shiro's home from trying anything.

As it was, Shiro had his hands full trying to alter the aria he had heard when he had 'installed' that card into his circuits directly.

Zelretch had been impressed that it had worked at all...since according to him the last people who did that were female and had been training their circuits for the better part of a few months using one of his 'toys' without knowing what they were doing.

It was possible, he theorized, that the hero Shiro was 'overriding' his body with had been enough to overcome that issue. Mostly because the Archer hero in question was him from an alternate time frame that at the rate he was going wouldn't happen anyway.

Shiro had yet to decided if he wanted to summon Alturia as his Servant or if he wanted to try his luck at a pick of the draw instead.

Shiro was leaning heavily on the pick of the draw.

* * *

Shiro found out through Zelretch that Berserker had just been summoned a week ago. Which meant the Grail Wars were about to restart a year early if he had his say about it. The less time the competition had to prepare, the fewer would die.

If what happened last time was because the fighters all had ample time to prepare, well over eight years of it, then the damage done this time around should be less because they were only given a shorter time period to get ready.

"You sure you want to do this? With Avalon inside of you, summoning her is all but guaranteed," said Zelretch.

"I would rather have a Servant that I know matches my personality, rather than forcing a specific one out. Besides, didn't you say that I had just enough to support two of them?" asked Shiro.

"So long as one is powered by your reiki instead of your circuits," confirmed Zelretch.

"So the first will be powered by reiki. That way I know for sure I have enough power to handle a second one the normal way if I steal a Servant," said Shiro.

Zelretch removed Avalon, and Shiro got to work.

Dripping blood and channeling his spirit energy, Shiro began to chant.

"_Silver and Iron to the Origin._

_Gem and the Archduke of Contracts to the Cornerstone._

_The Ancestor is my Great Master Shweinorg._

_The Alighted Wind becomes a Wall._

_The Gates in the four directions close, coming from the Crown, the three-forked road that leads to the Kingdom circulate._

_Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill)._

_Repeat every five times._

_Simply, shatter once filled._

_I announce._

_Your self is under me, my fate (doom) is in your sword._

_In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer._

_Here is my Oath._

_I am the one who becomes all the good in the World of the Dead,_

_I am the one who becomes all of the evils in the World of the Dead._

_You, Seven Heavens clad in three words of Power, arrive from the ring of deterrence,_

_O Keeper of the Balance!"_

He felt an obvious drain on his spirit energy as something latched onto it. Feeling blood run down his upper arm, he realized that using spirit energy in place of prana had the odd side effect of moving the Command Seals.

"I ask of you, are you my Master?" asked a male voice.

"I am."

"Then by the Holy Grail's refuge, I, Servant Archer have answered your call."

Shiro looked past the smoke and stared. That armor...

Archer was curious who had summoned him this time...then his eyes fell on his new Master and he stared.

_'Well fuck, there goes _that_ plan...'_

Shiro face-palmed.

"Of course this would happen. I bet that damn mooch knew it would too," said Shiro.

Shiro looked at his alternate future self and asked seriously.

"I have a few questions for you, Archer."

"What?" said Archer, confused as to how the hell _Shiro_ of all people could summon him and do it correctly at that.

"Do you intend to stay astralized the entire time you're here?"

"Only if I have to."

"Can you cook?"

"I'm a decent enough one," he said, confused as to where this was going.

"Do you mind signing a non-disclosure agreement?"

"A _what_?" said Archer, befuddled.

Shiro held out the standard roommate agreement that everyone who agreed to live in his house signed. Even Yusuke had signed one.

Archer read the paper in disbelief.

_'I agree not to start any fights unless I am fully prepared to pay for any and all damages caused by the ensuing chaos I start. _

_In the event of being able to cook, I agree to join the regular schedule except for weekends which is pot luck._

_Under no circumstances am I allowed to give the following any form of alcohol unless I am fully prepared to pay for damages done to the property...'_

Archer looked at Shiro.

"What the hell is _this_?"

"An agreement that any damages done are not my fault, and any chaos caused on the property is to be paid in full by the parties responsible unless you're willing to wait until the weekends."

"Why?"

"Just sign it and I'll introduce you to the rest of the house. Most of it should become pretty clear after you meet the other residents," said Shiro.

Archer was absolutely confused.

Shiro shouldn't _have_ any other house guests...the last time he was alive, Shiro lived alone, aside from Sakura and Taiga coming over regularly. In fact Shiro was primarily a loner.

Still, he signed the agreement, wondering what the hell was going on.

A lot of it became clear when he realized who, or more specifically _what_ happened to be living in the guest house.

Makai Demons. Strong ones at that.

Why the hell were there _demons_ living in the guest house?!

"So this is one of those Servant guys the old fang face talked about?" asked Jin.

"Servant Archer, automatic class advantage, independent action and magic resistance," said Shiro.

"So what sort of hero are you?" asked Hiei.

"One from the future. Hello _Archer_," said Zelretch grinning. He handed a covered Avalon back to Shiro.

"You!"

"Me. Though for once this isn't my doing...well aside from helping Shiro here make adjustments to the circle," said Zelretch smirking.

"I should have known you were involved..." muttered Archer.

"You know him?"

"Zelretch finds me an endless source of amusement," said Archer sourly.

"Shiro! It's your turn to cook!" shouted Jin.

"Keep your pants on, you crazy drunk! Why did I agree to let the fighting junkies live with me?" said Shiro with a moan. He started cooking supper for everyone. Today it was pot luck.

* * *

Archer was sitting on the roof when Hiei showed up.

"Confused?"

"Very."

"A lot of things will become clear tomorrow. We're heading up to Genkai's for the weekend," he said.

"Genkai, as in the famous psychic Genkai? How the hell does Shiro know her?!"

"She's your grandmother," said Hiei dryly.

Archer sputtered in shock.

* * *

Genkai inspected the rather nervous Archer Servant with a critical eye.

"Hmph. You're good, but you could be much, much better."

Archer felt like a bug pinned to a board as she inspected him. Just how had Shiro found his biological grandmother? Even he had never known about his birth family until someone had told him years after his own 'death'.

"I take it he's the 'hero' that you used against the older of the brothers last month?" she asked of Shiro.

"Zelretch said he was the one I brought out through that Class card. At this point I'm just glad he didn't give me the stick that usually goes with it," said Shiro wincing. Ruby and Sapphire were annoying.

"Hmph. Judging by the look of his circuits, he never got my crest or learned the family magic. Something we _will_ be correcting for the next month," said Genkai annoyed.

Shiro perked up. Genkai had hinted about teaching him their family legacy...most of them had died off from Magecraft experiments or bad luck. She also said that as soon as his egg hatched, she would make sure the two of them were bound properly as Master and familiar.

She had been pleased when she was told of Koenma giving him a spirit beast egg.

Archer, for he refused to go by Shiro or Emiya as it would blow the truth out of the water to other Magi, watched as Shiro learned under Genkai how to use their family crest.

All these years, all the repeats...and he had never known that the entire time his body had a predisposition to summoning. Explained how he had been able to bring out so many swords with such short training.

With Genkai's Crest and her tutelage, Shiro was quickly learning how to summon things. Specifically demons.

"You're teaching him how to summon _demons_?" said Archer.

"You got a problem with that?" asked Genkai.

"I thought the Church had a ban on demon summoning."

"Those losers? The demons the Church hunt aren't like the ones I'm teaching Shiro to summoning. Those things are nothing like youkai."

"What's the difference?" asked Archer, honestly curious.

"Demons are beasts that can't understand human morals. They act like the monsters they are. Youkai are creatures from another plane of existence and can at least blend in with humans to an extent. At least enough to fool the Reikai. They're more akin to nature spirits really," said Genkai.

"I would be offended, except I specialize in plants. Who's turn is it to cook?" asked Kurama.

Because Genkai's was an agreed upon place to train (she owned the entire mountain for at least fifteen miles all around it) they selected one unlucky person who had to cook for everyone for the entire weekend. Everyone else would have to clean up, but generally no one wanted to be the cook for the weekend.

"It's mine," said a sour looking Hiei.

"So we're having Barbeque," said Kurama.

Archer felt he had to speak up. He could do more observing if he didn't have to train at the moment, not that he had any idea how he was supposed to do that at the moment.

"I could cook," he said.

Hiei sized him up.

"Well you are Shiro's alternate future self. You lose any of your cooking skills?"

"I've had to make due with substandard ingredients before. Being able to cook in a real kitchen will be a pleasant experience," admitted Archer.

Hiei grunted, but he was glad not to be made to cook when he would rather train.

* * *

Archer observed Shiro's interactions with the youkai. He agreed with Genkai's assessment that they were more nature spirits with an unusual energy and not demons, but it was a general term that most humans would brand them with anyway. It was easier just to call them a demon than to call them what they really were.

Youkai. Creatures from a different plane of existence that coexisted with humanity. It was well known that unlike demons, youkai could and did breed with humans. Especially in Japan.

Archer watched how Shiro acted around them. And strangely, he was heartened by what he saw.

Archer, when he was still Shiro Emiya, was a man who had been driven solely by the insane goal of being a hero, of saving everyone. His ideals had destroyed him in the end, and turned him into little more than a clean-up spirit for the Earth, forcing him to kill countless people all in the name of balance.

This Shiro had a support team who could handle more than any normal human possibly could. Kurama was like his older, more level-headed brother. Yukina, the little sister of the group and quite possibly Shiro's future girlfriend. Hiei, the brother-in-law (Archer had seen the way Yukina and Shiro looked at each other) and constant sparring partner. Yusuke, the idiot little brother who everyone was drawn to because of his honest nature, despite the fact he was a delinquent. And Kuwabara, the friend that had their backs, even when he couldn't handle everything the world threw at him.

Circling the group were Shiro's tenants. Jin and Touya. Two demons they had met in the Black Tournament who hated living in the shadows and wanted to live in the light.

In exchange for rent and the guarantee of back-up when they needed help, Jin and Touya each had their own rooms in Shiro's large guest house in the back. So long as they cleaned up after themselves and occasionally cooked, Shiro had no problems with having youkai as tenants.

And Taiga? She was just happy Shiro's house wasn't so empty anymore. Though according to Kurama, she had been caught flirting with Jin more than once over drinks when Touya had to drag them home.

All in all, Archer had trouble seeing this version of himself falling for the same pitfalls he had. Not to mention the fact that Shiro actually _knew_ what he was doing for once. It would be interesting to see how the Grail Wars turned out this time...and if he would live to see the end of it.


End file.
